Blood of Mine
by Nikkou-tan
Summary: Being a witch, some would think Eva is one for adventures – they'd be wrong. The Hufflepuff knows she's less than normal for a muggle-born so she values every semblance of normalcy. Yet, her sixth year brings unwelcome changes...
1. The 5th Year's Fleeting Innocence

**A/N: **Okay so I'm trying the fan-ficition thing for a second time, this is my first Hogwarts-Era fic though. It has no relation to _Tangled In Fate _as this time I will probably screw with canon till it's in little itsy-bits. Eva's a new kinda protaganist for me but it'll be fun to try something esle.

Reviews most welcome!

I do not own anything related to Harry Potter, but all original plots, characters, and settings are mine.

* * *

><p><em><span>The 5th Year's Fleeting Innocence<span>_

She remembered to breathe;. It was paced and normal. Unlike her brain which sped at a million thoughts a minute. It was almost a surreal state. With her mind frazzled from the crash and her glasses on the floor beside her, it seemed more like a daydream than reality. The world looked fuzzy but the voice was clearer than she ever heard it before.

"Sorry about that. You alright?"

Harry Potter, the Blob Who Crashed, said whilst putting his own spectacles back on. Unfortunately for her, it was reality, she had made a fool of herself and now was too tongued tied to respond. _Say you're fine, say you're sorry, say anything!_

"Good." It was all she could muster, even his blurry self made her cheeks burn red-hot. She hurriedly packed her scattered things. At least she had an excuse for staring at the floor.

"These might help." Harry handed her a pair of horned-rimmed glasses. The ones she was practically blind without.

"Thanks." She said in a tiny voice. She snatched the pair out of his hands and put them on. She frowned, Harry was frowning too. _Oh great, he already thinks I'm a nutter! _She thought dismally.

If her worries were truth he didn't voice them. Instead, he said: "Well, G'night then," before awkwardly turning back towards the Fat Lady.

"Wait!" He glanced at her. She had her books in one arm and the other hand covered her mouth a second too late. _What'd I do that for? Maybe I really am a nutter! _She sighed, removed her hand. Figuring that she might as well go on with her crazy idea now that she had his attention. "I'm Eva! Eva Palmer, we have Herbology together?"

Harry looked pensive for a moment before realization dawned in the green eyes she found quite stunning. "I remember…you're a Hufflepuff, right? Nice to see you then."

He, again, went to leave. Eva ran to his side – surprising both him and herself. "I am a Hufflepuff! And – well, I know I don't know you very well – in fact you probably shouldn't be listening to a random stranger – but if you did it'd be nice – but that's not what I wanted to talk about!" She took one deep breath before continuing: "Harry, lately you seemed down. Is there anything I can do to help?"

He blinked, and she winced. It was true, she didn't know Harry very well. She only knew the fantastic the Boy Who Lived, Triwizard Champion type stuff because it was common gossip around Hogwarts. Still, with all the libel from the Daily Prophet and the heinous Dolores Umbridge and the recent Department of Mysteries Battle – it was a small wonder her yearmates Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones noted his moodiness. Eva had seen it too, subtlety. Lately, he seemed to be avoiding even his closest friends.

Eva had no business asking about him, she knew. She only thought he was cute and interesting, someone she could watch shine from afar. But it wasn't likely that they'd meet like this again, so Eva did the first remotely brave thing she had in years - she spoke to him.

She had expected him to yell, so she was pleasantly surprised when he smiled – faintly, but it was there – and said: "No thanks. I'm doing better."

Eva beamed in relief. "That's great! Um…" she had realized her purpose had been exhausted. She had no more reason to talk to him. "Um…I guess I better go! I still haven't gone to the feast yet and Su said she'd hex me if I skipped on this one – er, do you know Su?" Harry shook his head dully. "Figured, she'd probably introduce us by now – Su's sorta pushy like that. But anyways, good luck next year Harry!"

"Thanks." He said. His tone had a grave edge to it. "I'll probably need it."

* * *

><p>A Taiwanese girl squealed in delight. Eva covered her ears and peered outside their compartment of the Hogwarts Express. When she saw it was empty she closed the door and whispered: "Do you have to be so loud about it, Su?"<p>

"I'll be as loud as I want, considering all the suspense you've put me through," Su said in half-annoyed, half-playful voice. "You've been eyeing the famous Harry Potter since third year, looking in the distance like some fairytale maiden." Su made a dreamy face, before switching back to her usual self. "That's been you, Eva Blair Palmer, for three years! Too shy to even chat up the bloke but _finally_ you've done it! I always knew you two be good together."

Eva blushed while shaking her head. "It's not like that!" she insisted. "I crashed into him when the stairway changed on me. It was two minutes of awkward conversation." A memory flashed before Eva and she glared pointedly at her friend: "Since when have you 'always known', last month you said he and Dumbledore were delusional!"

"Well, even a Ravenclaw can be wrong some of the time." She excused herself quite easily. "Still, this is the best time to make a move, word has it Conner and Chang are an item and after this summer he'll probably be off doing some-heroic-slay Death Eaters-thing. Did you get his phone number? Does he even have a number? We need his number…"

With that Eva buried her head in her travel pillow, doing her best to ignore another of Su Li's convoluted plots. _She means well,_ Eva thought fairly,_ she just wants me to be more social. _

Not much had changed from first year where Su and Eva had met in the Dungeons where Potions Class was held. Snape couldn't have paired up two more unlike girls. Su was short yet had grown curvy with wavy long hair dyed honey brown to complement her peach skin. She was eager and curious, already insisting she was going to invent a whole book's worth of new spells. Maybe it was Su's inquisitive nature that made her so earnest to befriend the guarded introvert that was – and still is – Eva. Eva herself was a half foot taller than Su but she had the body of a twig. Her jet-black hair was pin-straight at her scalp but curled toward the ends that touched her shoulders. Her eyes, light brown with flecks of yellow, were almost always behind thick glasses. Her tan skin was even darker since she had spent most of her post-O.W.L school days relaxing in the sun.

"…well, you can send him letters by owl if anything. Come on." Before her reverie broke, Eva found a grip on her wrist pulling her out their compartment.

"No wonder you're a Beater, I never noticed how strong you were!"

"Better to drag you along my dear." Su said with a wolfish grin. "But enough of that, we're going to give him your address. Make things easier for that owl of his."

"What? No! I don't wanna –"

"Ask? Of course _you _don't. That is why _I'm_ going to ask for you! No need to thank me."

"But –"

"Oh, there he is now." Su frowned. "Malfoy and his goons look like they're about to duel him. Crap. Why does everyone have to get in the way of _my_ plans?"

Lucky for Harry, a gaggle of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws – unknowingly to Eva and Su D.A members – blocked the trio. Unlucky for Eva and Su, the group began to cast a series of hexes and curses the friends nearly avoided as they scrambled back into their compartment.

"Troublesome meddlers, the lot of them…" Su muttered.

Eva, surprisingly, snickered. Su's demanding to know what had caused the giggles only made her laugh harder.

* * *

><p>When the train came to a halt, Eva and Su grabbed their things and entered Platform 9 ¾. The Lis found their oldest daughter soon after. The motley duo made quick but heartfelt goodbye hug, along with promises to owl the other as soon as they got home. Eva was alone and inwardly panicked, she scanned the mass of people. The Palmers were often early when it came to picking Eva up and dropping Eva off – they knew she wasn't fond of crowds. The fear and worry that was growing in the pit of her stomach faded slightly when a pair of yellow-brown eyes locked with her own. She smiled widely and ran towards him. "Uncle Manny! What are you doing here?"<p>

Manny Scott's grimace changed into a sad smile that made Eva stop halfway to him. He walked the rest of the way and put a hand on her shoulder. "Unless you plan on staying here all summer, I'm your ride home."

She laughed weakly but the anxiety showed blatantly on her face. Manny detestation for crowds was stronger than her own. He never seen her off from the Platform unless her Mum badgered him for weeks before, and even then he was always with Eva's parents. "Where are Mum and Dad?" Eva asked.

He didn't, or couldn't, look at her as he answered: "I'll explain when were home, but not here." He looked suspiciously at the crowd before a wide grin broke out on his face as he offered her is hand. "Come on, we've got a lot catching up to do kid. I don't have a clue which Seeker is snogging which Chaser. And I'm horribly ignorant of which professors are secretly dementors – though if I had to guess, it'd be that pink lady I saw next Minister Fudge awhile back."

Eva laughed again. _He's too good at that, making me laugh. _She took his hand and then walked off the platform.

Their pace steadily increased, Eva noticed her uncle seem to be in a hurry. In the parking lot waited her father's van – empty of her father and mother.

"Get in." He ordered curtly. Eva was too frightened to not obey. The cage she saw in the back seat lightened her mood, however.

"Gertrude! I didn't think you'd be here!"

A lengthy scarlet snake loosely coiled in a circle lifted her neck, as if responding to the girl. The snake's hissed softly, although to her they weren't hisses but words, plain as English to Eva: **Expect the unexpected my dear. I wouldn't let that man leave behind. **

Eva grinned. "You always mess with him when I'm not around, Gertrude. You lot should get along better."

**Tell it to him my dear. You know I'm always on my best behavior. Unlike him who –"**

"The two of you shut it!" Manny barked. Eva turned to his angry face in the driver's seat. "Not a word from either of you till we get home!"

Eva nodded and sank into her own seat. _Something's seriously wrong. I know that we don't exactly advertise the fact we're Parselmouths, but he's never been so strict. What's he hiding?_

However, now that Eva thought about his strange behavior the question changed. _Who are we hiding from?_


	2. The Palmers' Family Ties

_The Palmers' Family Ties_

Since Eva could only sit in silence as her uncle drove, she turned to happier thoughts than the mysteries that plagued her mind. She thought of her family.

_Are Grandmum and Grandpa there? They promised to visit during the summer, at least. _The Palmers were a strange sort of family – barring the fact the Parseltongue was basically their second language. (Actually it was a third language, in the case of Eva's grandma, Aurelia Scott.)

Her grandmother was a pureblood and, as far as Eva knew the first with this strange gift. Another weird aspect about Aurelia was the eye-patch she wore across her right eye. The story behind it changed each year: sometimes it was a relic from a pirating past, other times it was a necessity to hide a horrid curse she got in her Hogwarts Years. Dermid, her grandfather, probably knew the answer from the way he slyly smiled when her grandmother spun her tall tales. Eva asked him once but he shook his head, stating its best left in the past. Then he surprised Aurelia with a hug and a kiss, causing a nine – year old Eva to giggle. However, the fifteen year – old Eva of the present was a bit more pessimistic about the oddities of her grandmother. _I guess marrying a Half – Blood was the last straw of strangeness her family could take. I've never seen anyone from Grandmum's side of the family before. _

Aurelia never seemed to mind the estrangement. If anything it seemed to make her seek closeness to her children: Carmen Scott – Palmer, Eva's mother, and Manuel Scott. _Grandmum didn't even mind that her daughter was a Squib. _Eva thought, some of her pure-blooded yearmates had told her stories of cousins or siblings without magic slowly but surely slipping away from their families. Her grandparents did no such thing, always speaking of how proud they are of Carmen for starting her own business – a gardening shop – and marrying a nice man – a black Muggle named Albert – and raising Eva right. Her grandparents were frequent visitors to the Palmer's home in West Hampshire whenever they weren't travelling for work (and later for fun).

Eva looked at her uncle in the driver's seat. The man was tense. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tight she was afraid he'd yank it off accidentally. His eyes kept shifting off the road. _He probably knows already. _Eva thought glumly. The year before Eva had told her whole family what had happened to Cedric Diggory, and more importantly, who had killed him. While most of them mourned her housemate they were reluctant to believe Eva about You-Know-Who's rising. No one was more audibly obstinate than her Uncle Manny. The whole summer whenever Eva even brought up Cedric, Harry, or even Dumbledore it was like a gear switched in Manny. He changed from the witty, fun Manny Eva's known all her life to an angry, hateful man Eva's couldn't recognize at all. _But…I guess he has his reasons…_A part of Eva stuck up for him. She knew that Manny Scott had been living with the Palmers all this time partly because he hadn't gotten over the death of his pregnant wife. She had been killed in the First War so Eva doubted he could ever want a Second War to start and see more people he loved in danger. _But it's not like we can pretend anymore, Vole – _he's _back. _

The thought of him made Eva shiver in her seat. She may not have seen Voldemort before but she's heard enough about him to know he was merciless and dangerous. He had a whole gang of followers ready to cause mayhem whenever and wherever he pleased. He didn't have scruples against killing children or even other pure-bloods if they were "blood- traitors." She had even heard murmurs of some Slytherins thinking of truly awful ways to get on the Dark Lord's good side.

_I wonder if I would've turned out that way if the Sorting Hat put me there... _Eva hadn't told anyone but her family, yet when she first got her Hogwarts letter she had hoped she'd be in Slytherin. It really wasn't based on much, she just liked the snake motif. Uncle Manny, who had first hand experience with the blood purity ideals of his old house, dissuaded her of this. Whispers on the Hogwarts Express had validated his warnings – in fact it was then she was first called a 'Mudblood' after explaining to a boy named Nott that neither of her parents had magic.

Come Sorting she had lost her nerve and was glad to be put in Hufflepuff – the house of Aurelia. The decision wasn't one she regretted – she liked the kind Hannah Abbott and the protective Ernie MacMillan. It was this year she also had her first human best friend, a mad genius named Su Li. All of these coupled together made her open up slightly.

However that one step forward had move a dozen steps back in her second year. When Muggle-borns were being petrified and the heir of Slytherin had returned. Harry Potter – the celebrity she had heard about from time to time – was revealed to be a Parselmouth. Hearing comments like Ernie's and learning Salazar's opinion of Muggle-borns made her fear of being discovered even greater. Her introversion grew – something Su and her housemates excused as fear for her life as she was a Muggle-born. However when it spread that the infamous Harry Potter had saved the day, defeated the Basilisk, and rescued Ginny Weasley Eva's admiration for the young hero grew, thus beginning her infatuation.

That summer she asked her family if they were related to any Dark Wizards. They had all assured her that their Parseltongue abilities were just coincidentally linked to dark magic. Being her beloved family members, Eva believed them and the matter dropped from her mind.

_Hm_? A clap of thunder stopped her drift down memory lane and she looked to the window. The day had been a perfectly clear only a few moments ago but now turned gray and muggy. She also noted they did not look the slightest bit closer to West Ham than when they left King's Cross. _Are we lost? _She wondered worriedly. She looked back at her uncle.

Manny noticed and assured her: "I'm taking a shortcut."

On the dirt road a black figure suddenly came into view.

"Look out!" Eva cried.

The car swerved, just missing the stranger. The glint of a silver mask was just visible.

_T – That can't be – w-why us? _

The stranger pointed his wand at the van and whispered. A flash of red light hit it and vehicle rolled over. Eva ducked and covered her face from the broken windows' shattered glass.

"Eva!"

She didn't look up at the sound of her uncle's strained voice. She only opened her eyes when she felt a sickening, pulling sensation from her stomach. She was outside watching the silver van spin away. Gertrude slinked out of the dented back door, hissing miserably but no worse for the wear.

"Stay behind me Eva and don't make a sound unless it's a nasty hex."

Eva nodded but her shaky hand could hardly grasp her wand inside her front pocket. She looked past her uncle and her heart sunk lower than before.

Ten Death Eaters in total. Wands raised and ready to strike.


	3. The Palmers Fight Back

_The Palmers' Fight Back_

"_Protego horribilius!_" Manny shouted. Ten red and blue lights appeared to bounce on thin air and caused their casters to scatter from their line formation. Eva simply ducked as more spells, some of which were a sickly green that made her heart stop, were aimed at the elder man. On one hand, she was glad that they were ignoring her for a time, rightly assuming her uncle was the larger threat. On the other hand, she gulped while she crawled out of sight and behind a tree, she couldn't help but worry and wonder why Manny seemed to be their target in the first place.

She gaped at Manny from afar. He apparated before two spells collided where he previously stood. The explosion pushed the Death Eaters off their feet. One could do nothing but jump before he heard a "pop" behind him. _"Silencio!" _Manny hissed. His wand at the attacker's throat.

"_Crucio!_" A man and a woman shouted. Manny held up his captive Death Eater in front of him and the criminal took on both spells. Eva winced, as much as she dreaded his kind the way he shook and writhed disturbed her. His mask fell off as he struggled. His silent screams were paired with a pained face.

Manny was less empathic however. "You peons of Voldemort deserve every bit of torture you dish out." He spat.

"_Confringo!_" A woman Death Eater cried. Manny again used his human shield before tossing him into another man who tried to sneak behind him. "Half – blood filth shouldn't speak the Dark Lord's name!"

"Yaxley!" Manny said. Eva was shocked when her uncle actually sneered. He apparated again and kicked the stomach of another woman who seemed distracted. He quickly Body-Bound Cursed the downed lady before speaking to Yaxley once more. "I'm impressed, in seventh year you couldn't lift a finger for yourself! Now you're a crony!" He said mockingly. "Congrats on your demotion!"

Yaxley growled, shoving two men about to attack Manny aside. "I'll be the one to serve your head on a platter for the Dark Lord! _Incarcerous_!"

Again Manny 'popped' out of existence before the ropes could bind him but for Eva it was just a second too close. _He's getting slower! _She realized. _Apparation uses a lot of magic and energy. He can't keep this up forever!_

"Found you." The murmur made Eva veins turn to ice. She didn't dare look behind her to see who spoke. "Mudblood bitch you're going to – what?"

Eva whipped around. Gertrude snatched his wand from above and slithered in the branches to scramble away from the desperate Death Eater's grip.

Eva shakily pulled out her wand and pointed. "Don't – don't touch her!" The man glanced at Eva, unimpressed. "_Tarantallegra_!"

The Death Eater was hit square in the chest by the spell. He rocked back for a moment before his legs starting bending and jumping. He unwillingly danced away from Eva and the girl slumped against the tree in relief. Gertrude slinked next to her before spitting out two pieces of wand.

**That was good. **The snake told her. **But your job is not done yet, Manuel still needs you.**

"I…I don't think I can…" Eva said guilty. "I'm no good with Defense Against the Dark Arts! And I'm probably already in trouble with the Ministry! I'm an under-aged witch!"

**You are an under-aged witch **_**under attack! **_**If your Ministry isn't wholly incompetent – though there's no doubt that competence isn't their strongest feature – they cannot blame you!**

"But I'm still no good!"

"Argh!" Eva ran out of hiding and gasped. Manny was clutching his bleeding side while the four remaining Death Eaters – Yaxley included – crowded.

"Miss Yaxley it's the girl!" A younger female pointed to Eva.

"Eva_ leave!_" Manny barked, Eva shuddered but stayed.

"Kill her." Yaxley said simply. Without a thought the younger Death Eater ran over to Eva.

_"Confrigo!"_ Manny shouted.

_"Protego!"_ Eva cried.

Both Palmers were in luck. Eva's shielding charm blocked the three hexes and, again, caused the group to flee from their backfired spells. Meanwhile the fire spell hit the would-be-murderer square in the back. Her robes instantly enflamed and Eva ran to her uncle's side while the young Death Eater rolled on the floor.

"Are you alright?"

"Are you daft? I told you to leave!" Manny growled. Eva looked down in shame but caught sight of his injury. "It's fine! It's fine! I've already sent out a Patronus! We still need to fight off these bastards!"

"Consider them fought Manuel." The uncle and niece looked up. A tall dark skinned man had spoken. In the far corner three wounded Death Eaters were bound and watched carefully by a woman with spiky short pink hair. Other, less notably featured men and woman, held fast to six other Death Eaters.

_Only nine? _Eva thought. She was about to speak but the man's stature intimidated her. Instead, she clung to her uncle's arm and tried not to be noticed.

"Yaxley got away. I'm sorry Manny." As if reading her mind, the new man grinned and offered his hand to Eva. "I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt, an Auror. My partner over there is Tonks. You are safe now."

_I'm not sure if I believe that. _Still Eva shook his hand and gave a weak smile back. "Mister Shacklebolt, do you know why we were attacked?"

The man blinked then glared at her uncle. "You didn't tell her?"

"There was no point in worrying her now. I was going to wait till we got there." Manny answered, glowering back twofold.

"Were you?" Kingsley struggled to keep his voice even. "If you had used the Portkey from the King's Cross like we insisted this wouldn't have occurred."

"And I _insisted _we were being watched! Not all Death Eaters are a thick – headed as their master. They would've searched for Portkeys and tampered with them. It would've been the Triwizard Cup all over again!"

"So you took a van? An unprotected muggle machine?"

"It's her father's, I figured that a bunch of ignorant Pure-blood zealots wouldn't know what was and wouldn't attack it!"

"Well your assumptions nearly got you and your niece killed." Kingsley said coolly. "And on top of that she's still clueless to everything. Hope you're satisfied."


	4. The Palmers' Bad News

_The Palmers' Bad News_

The newcomer wizards and witches insisted on patching up a reluctant Manny. He grumbled as dittany – laced bandages were carefully wrapped around his wound. Eva watched in relieved, slightly amused silence. He was acting like a fidgety child rather than the grown man he was.

"You'll thank us later Scott." A square – jawed, blonde woman named Emmeline Vance said. She smirked to Eva before continuing: "Or would you like to leave a bleeding trail of breadcrumbs for the witch to find?"

"Breadcrumbs?" Manny asked. He groaned slightly as she pressed on the bandages and the dittany stung him. Emmeline giggled again.

"It's from a Muggle story, Hansel and Gretel. It's a fairytale for kids and big babies." She quipped. Manny was about to gripe back but the blonde quickly called over to Kingsley. "He's good to go flying now. Lucky for us it'll be nightfall by the time we get there."

"Fly?" Eva frowned. "I don't have a broom! And I'm terribly at flying!"

"It's fine Eva, they brought an extra one." Manny glared at the rest of the group. "She'll ride with me." He ordered.

The group of adults glowered back and Eva stared at her uncle with interest. She noticed that despite the familiarity amongst them, Manny hardly liked his rescuers.

"It's alright!" She squeaked out, running to her uncle's side. "I want to ride with him to...wait, aren't we just going home?"

"Sorry, we can't go now." Manny said. Eva thought he was reaching down to pet her head but instead she something jelly like drip over her scalp. She reached for a strand of black hair but jumped when she saw her gray as the clouds in the sky hand. "It's just a Disillusionment Charm. I'm putting one on too so we can cross. Visibility going to be bad anyways but I just wanted to be sure."

"Mum's probably worried sick, can't we just go home?" Eva said. Her voice cracked. She didn't want to cry in front of strangers – it was bad enough that they gave her a somber, pitying look. Manny's yellow – brown eyes mimicked theirs but he didn't speak. He simply patted her shoulder and walked to the pink haired Auror who spelled him.

Eva sighed and Gertrude hissed at the man before loosely coiling around Eva's leg. She knew what they were keeping from her young friend– and regretted thoroughly that she agreed to keep silent herself. Gertrude knew some of Manny's other secrets too. The lot of them would blow up in his arrogant face and she was content with that. But it was the fallout that Eva would have to deal with and that made the snake sick with fear.

* * *

><p>"<em>MUDBLOOD FILTH!<em>"

Eva yelped but Manny shoved her inside the doorway of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place regardless of the unwelcoming screeches. He had to hold her to keep Eva from running as the rest of the wizards piled into the house. The last wizard, Kingsley, slammed the door close. Manny barked: "Shut her up!"

"_Degenerate, vile creatures! LEAVE OR –_"

When the shrill women's voice suddenly stopped, Eva stopped squirming as well. While still shivering, she asked her uncle: "We broke into someone's house?"

Manny rolled his eyes. "Please, if I had it my way, that woman and I would've never had the misfortune of meeting."

"Technically, you haven't met. Walburga's just a portrait now." A new, friendly male voice said. Eva recognized the voice from somewhere so she turned towards it. She gasped in shock.

"Professor Lupin?" He nodded at her. His companion merely grunted but Eva couldn't forget the large, glass, bright blue eye of the elder man if she tried – and her fourteen year old self tried often during DADA classes. "Professor Moody, too?" A little nagging voice of curiosity made Eva blurt out: "Why weren't you our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for 5th year?"

Moody chucked outright with that. "'Cause I wasn't your teacher in fourth year!"

Eva was wide eyed and Lupin charitably explained: "The man you thought was your teacher was actually an imposter."

"So, does that mean those rumors about you being a werewolf were nonsense too?" Eva questioned, smiling with relief. "I knew it! You were too nice and sweet and –"

"And unfortunately still very much a werewolf." Lupin told her with a sad smile. "But the full moon just past a few days ago so you don't need to worry!" He said quickly when he noticed Eva shrinking back. "Um…anyways, sorry about scaring you, somehow the curtains got open again. Dumbledore's in the kitchen and he'd like to speak with you."

"I'm going –"

"Scott, you and Alastor need to go back to your home." The werewolf said. "Pick up whatever you two need and head back here as fast as you can." Moody latched on to her uncle and before she could ask the duo disappeared.

_What did I do? _Eva thought worriedly as she was led by the ex – professor. He was talking about the house in a vain attempt to calm Eva down but all she could think of was OWL scores – she must have done so bad the Headmaster himself came to scold her. Or expulsion – she used underage magic so Dumbledore was going to snap her wand personally. Or worse – she had heard a fifth year had to go to trial with the entire Wizengamot last year. She couldn't remember doing something so terrible to warrant Azkaban but Eva's imagination was off the rails at the moment.

By the time Eva got to the kitchen and saw a grimace on the usually unflappable Dumbledore's face her knees gave out and Lupin had to help her onto a stool before he left. Dumbledore must have sensed Eva's unease when he gave her a bright smile.

"Miss Palmer," he started serenely. "I'm glad to see you were not harmed. How are you feeling?"

"O-O-Okay!" Eva said nervously.

If the Headmaster could see through her paper thin lie he didn't acknowledge it. Instead he spoke softer and kindly: "Have you read the latest _Daily Prophet_?"

"No sir." Eva answered, honestly this time. "It's got more rubbish in it than the Quibbler these days – oh!" Eva blushed when Dumbledore laughed. "I'm sorry Professor! It's just – well – I don't believe a word they've said about Harry, he's been very brave and they try to make him nutter for it – oh, and you too! I mean I meant –"

"That's quite alright Miss Palmer. You're entitled to your opinions, and your personal feelings towards Mr. Potter." Eva turned even redder. "It seems, however, the _Prophet_ has changed its tune. The most recent paper insists that Voldemort has returned."

Eva shuttered at his name. "Um, I already knew he returned since Cedric died."

"I'm sorry, you and him were housemates so I know it must have been hard. Were the two of you close?"

Eva shook her head but stopped suddenly."Well, he was friendly with all his housemates, even me. He was a good person." She admittedly sadly. "Cedric was also very smart – too smart I think to get himself killed by a maze and not a dragon or mermaids. It had to have been Vo – He Who Must Not Be Named, like Harry said."

Dumbledore frowned."I'm glad to hear that Miss Palmer. It'll make this news, somewhat, more bearable…" Eva froze. She stared at her somber face professor and the terrible ideas of her head ran rampant again. "I suppose you wonder why it was your Uncle Manuel who picked you up? And why you were brought here?"

Eva stared at the floor. "Please Professor, don't drag this on." She didn't see white eyebrows rise in surprise. "If I'm expelled or in other trouble with the Ministry, just tell me already!"

The Headmaster was silent for awhile. Finally, he decided to take her advice to heart. "Eva, your parents are dead. I'm terribly sorry for your loss."

Eva looked up. She was breathless but she managed to murmur. "That's not – that's not true."

"Some Death Eaters have grown tired of hiding their true nature. They took their master's unveiling as a sign. In muggle neighborhoods of West Ham, they would say a sudden earthquake led to several people getting killed while you were on the train and your uncle was here. In truth, Death Eaters murdered them in mass numbers – Albert Palmer and Carmen Scott – Palmer were among the deceased…" he paused, yellow – brown eyes that were already filled with tears. "…as was Dermid Scott who was visiting his daughter and son – in - law."

"Grandmum's okay?" Eva cried. Her voice sounded so hopeful it almost pained the old man. "She's alive right?"

"As far as we know…" he admittedly somberly, he had to wipe water from his own blue eyes at that. "Aurelia was present during the attack but she was gone before the Aurors got there." Dumbledore attempted to steady Eva, shaking with grief. "I remember Dermid and Aurelia, both wonderful students of mine. They'd be glad you're safe here Eva."

That was all she could take, Eva pulled away from him and ran out of the kitchen. She ran past blurs of concerned wizard and witches. She ran up the stairs although she hadn't a clue where she was going. She tripped on a step but falling hadn't stopped the crying. Eva blubbered incoherently when Lupin caught up and asked if she was alright. Emmeline tried to tend to the Hufflepuff's burst lip but Eva shrank back from the touch. Finally the two decided that to leave the girl on the steps and wait for the pained howls to turn to quiet tears and the tears to turn to sniffles.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Narrowly avoided another cliffhanger . Got to stop that.


	5. The Palmers Say Goodbye

_The Palmers Say Goodbye_

Albert Palmer's great - aunt insisted on a large funeral service, which was good considering she only knew about a quarter of the guests. Three closed caskets were encircled by a field's worth of lilies – some grown by Pomona Sprout herself who was an old, teary – eyed classmate of Aurelia. The muggles hardly noticed that some flowers had an odd penchant for humming hymns or changing colors. They were too caught up in their own grief.

Eva didn't fault them however. Her gold-brown eyes were leaking at the second eulogy. By the ceremony's end they had run out of water to cry out. She was still shaking however, watching the mourners hug whoever was in sight, including the less – than comfortable Manny who gave weak ones back out of sympathy. Eva might have speared her poor uncle the burden but she needed to be alone now, which is why she was still sitting at the closest pew to the three caskets. She soaked up the silence. Her mind went back and forth, finally she stood up and walked to the leftmost one. The white marble case held Carmen Scott – Palmer, and she was the person Eva most wanted to see one last time.

Eva opened the lid, gasped, and slammed it shut.

It couldn't have seen it for more than two seconds but Eva knew it wasn't something she'd forget. Carmen Palmer – Scott had yellow flecked brown eyes like her daughter and her brother, they were now sunken in with blood red sclera. Carmen's hair was chocolate brown and now it was all burned to stubs. Carmen's skin used to be fair but dotted with freckles, currently it was purple from bruises and cuts were carved deep into her bones. None of that compared to her mouth however, it was wide open.

The thought of her mother screaming as she died made Eva run as fast as she could. She ran past endless seeming pews, throngs of people, past everything except–

"Eva!" Before she could pull away Su had her in a hug. "I'm so sorry, Eva."

Eva embraced her friend back. For awhile she was vaguely aware that there were others around, but the world dissolved into just her, the Ravenclaw, and her pain for several long minutes. Finally she let go of her friend and the two walked to a nearby bench where two girls and one guy already sat.

"Hey!" The tawny – haired boy stood up as he saw Su and Eva coming. "Guys she's here!" The group ran to her and the girls almost tackled Eva, squeezing her in a well – meaning hug. "Oye, don't kill _her_ now!"

"Ernie!" The blonde girl cried, releasing Eva to turn and glare at him. Ernie went a shade paler.

"Right, sorry Eva, you know I didn't mean –"

"It's fine Ernie." Eva gave him and the brunette girl a sad smile. "It's not just me who has to deal with this. How are you holding up Susan?"

Susan grinned. It was a bit too big to be wholly genuine. "I'm doing better. Aunt Amelia's funeral was three days ago. At least I found an excuse to wear this pretty black dress again…"She laughed weakly. Her hazel eyes glittered with tears that she refused to let out. If anything, Eva always admired Susan's strength. "She died defending my cousin and uncle though so I know she's happy wherever she is up there as long as they're safe. And there's not a lot of safer places than under Dumbledore's protection."

"Dumbledore's hiding you too, right Eva?" The blonde asked.

"Well if he is she wouldn't tell us where, would she Hannah?" Su questioned. Hannah stared at the floor in shame.

"I know but, I was just hoping." Hannah admitted. "If she was then that would mean Eva could come back to Hogwarts for sixth year."

"I – I'm going back." Eva said firmly, shocking the group. "My mum was so proud when she saw my letter; she'd want me to go." _Now only if I could convince Uncle Manny to let me out for a few days, let alone months…_

"That's brilliant to hear Eva!" Ernie said sincerely. "I'd like to see some Death Eater slip past us!"

"One already did." Su took out a paper from her purse. "I bought a Daily Prophet on the way here – always got to keep informed – and look what I found." She flashed them the front page and the bold print caught the Hufflepuffs' eyes immediately.

"'_School's Out, Lessons Unlearned: Death Eater Discovered to be Ravenclaw Seventh Year Student_'!" Hannah read. "That girl graduated a few weeks ago! She was so close all of us!"

"Especially so close to _me_. Her name's Harleen Eagleton. She was one of the older girls who helped me and my yearmates a couple times." Su sighed. "I knew she was hiding something! I told everyone I thought she was engaged or had a secret love child coming up! How could I be so off?"

Eva looked at the photo in the paper. The girl was laughing with a gorgeous smile in one photo. In the next she was growling with a half burnt cloak. "That's…"_That's the girl Yaxley ordered to kill me!_ Hannah, Susan, Ernie, and Su looked to Eva, who blushed and looked away. "She looks familiar, must've seen her around school…"

Susan grimaced. "I can't believe with everything we learnt here, she chose to follow the Death Eaters instead."

Ernie shrugged dismally. "People still remember what the First War was like. If not from experience, from their relatives – my aunt told me that they couldn't find most of my cousin Benjy when You Know Who's people came after him." He shivered. "If people are going to choose a side, it's now or never."

* * *

><p>"Those twits haven't chosen a side yet!" Manny seethed to his former Headmaster. As the crowd of mourners began dispersing, either to Mrs. Palmer's home or to their own, he and Dumbledore had slipped away. He still watched his niece from a distance, vaguely familiar with the Hufflepuff students that she chatted with. However he glared when he recognized the sole Ravenclaw. "I'm not leaving Eva with the Lis!"<p>

"I only suggested that Eva visit her friend for a while and then consider staying with them for the summer." Dumbledore stated calmly. "Her two weeks at Grimmauld Place haven't been the happiest."

"I know that!" The Half – Blood wizard snapped. "But Mr. and Mrs. Li are Purebloods, and they're dead-set on staying neutral in this War. They moved here after Voldemort fell the last time so don't know what it was like. They think if they avoid supporting the Order and avoid supporting the Death Eaters that they and their kids will be safe. Besides if they knew the real reason my sister was attacked…" He shook his head furiously. "I don't trust them with Eva."

Dumbledore sighed. "I had hoped your untrusting nature had changed since your own time in Hogwarts, Manuel."

The former Slytherin sneered. "Sorry, I reckon it sticks when the Headmaster is a plotting old coot and not the loveable nutter he pretends to be." Dumbledore didn't even flinch at the comment, nor did he when Manny muttered the next part. "What would that lot of students say if they realized how little they knew about you and your plans?"

"I do what I must to protect them, same as you do for Eva."

"We're alike then?" The younger man scorned. "No wonder I can't stand you…"

"Now that that matter has been put aside," the way the old wizard brushed off his anger so serenely infuriated Manny even more. "Eva is clearly miserable where she is. As much as you and I wish to defend her from outside forces, her mental state needs protecting also."

Manny was silent for a moment but groaned. "You're right. I'll take her out to Hogsmeade after the will's read. Shopping, ice cream; teenage girls like that kind of stuff, don't they?"

Dumbledore laughed. "I didn't realize I was an expert on the subject."

"Smart arse."

"Be that as it may, I think Hogsmeade is a good idea. Only, might I suggest that you do this before the Palmers and Scotts' wills are read? I have a guest coming for _his _will reading and it is best I do all three together."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I have the next part already outlined - originally Chapter 5 was going to be a lot longer. Expect an update of this or _Tangled in Fate _soon!


	6. The Palmers Say Hello

_The Palmers Say Hello_

"Anyone home?" No one answered Eva's call, upsetting her less than it should have. On one hand she had become used to a bustling Grimmauld, filled with witches and wizards – who she now knew were collectively called the Order of the Phoenix – moving from place to place or whispering plans to one another. On the other hand, beyond a polite "good morning/afternoon/night" to any of the older people she ran into while looking for Gertrude or looking for a place to be alone and cry, Eva hardly socialized with the Order members. Thus the empty house was more of a relief than a disappointment.

_At least that woman didn't start screaming again. _Eva mused. She rubbed her moist eyes behind her glasses. Her uncle was stopped by Dumbledore outside so she closed the front door behind her, but she didn't lock it. She kicked off her black heels and left them wherever they fell. Her mother's managed body, Su revealing the seventh year who hunted her - the Hufflepuff had used up all her tears and sadness so now only a drained feeling was left. Her Uncle Manny taking her out to Hogsmeade after the funeral helped a bit, but his own uncomfortable aura just made her feel bad for putting him through the shopping day. At this moment she merely wanted to find something to collapse on.

Eva smiled when she saw the edge of a couch in the living room. She quickly hopped on it and sighed in relief. "Perfect."

"Um…"

Eva turned to the voice that surprised her and promptly jumped off in shock. Gertrude hissed angrily from where she was sleeping on the floor, Eva had landed on her tail.

_**I know you humans are supposed to 'fall' for each other.**_ The snake griped. _**But don't drag **_**me **_**into your nonsense.**_

"Gertrude!" Eva cried. She stood up before Harry Potter could offer his hand to help her. "Er, sorry about that – the snake I mean – but I didn't mean to disturb you either and –"

"You're…you're Eva Palmer right?" Harry interrupted. Eva's cheeks reddened. She couldn't believe he remembered her.

"Y-Yes." She chirped. She sat back at the couch. Albeit this time she made sure they were as far apart as they could be. "Nice to see you again."

"Er, you too." He said unsurely. The conversation lulled from there. Green eyes and yellowish ones connected for a moment, then averted in shame, then gaped again – neither was willing to end the silence for some time.

_**Is this how courtship is with you lot? **_Gertrude said teasingly. _**Quite the odd ritual, if you ask me…**_

"Well no one did." Harry snapped, surprising Eva.

"Oh, that's right!" Harry looked as if she had caught him in some scandalous crime. "You can understand her!"

"Um, yeah." He spoke bashfully. "I used Parseltongue, didn't I? Sorry…"

"I'm fine with it." Eva spoke, giving him a hearting beam. Inwardly she was somewhat shocked at Harry's ignorance. _I've always known when I was speaking Parseltongue or not…_

He gave a weak smile back. "I heard that it was 'mark of a Dark Wizard'." Eva winced. His quote from young Ernie Macmillan gave the Hufflepuff an unpleasant flashback. He looked back at the snake, which lifted her head in interest. "She seemed to think I was 'courting' you."

Eva face went to an even deeper shade of red. "G-Gertrude's n-never seen me with a b-bloke my age s-so s-she's just confused." She gave the snake an apologetic frown and Eva had the feeling if the scarlet colored reptile could roll her eyes she would've at the moment.

_**Well, maybe this silly old snake ought to leave you two youngings alone. If you need me dear I'll be scrounging for mice upstairs…**_Gertrude slithered away and Eva snickered, Harry snorted outright.

"She's kind of funny actually. I can't believe she's yours." Eva made a face at the comment so Harry quickly corrected himself. "When we first met I didn't really picture you as the kind of girl who'd like snakes."

"Oh, I guess you wouldn't, people don't usually." Eva admitted. _They don't usually guess I can speak to snakes either, especially since it's apparently 'Dark'...though Harry of all people would know that's not true. Maybe – maybe I could tell him. _"I remember my housemate Hannah was scared to death when I showed her," Her voice left her. She leaned on the couch suddenly worn again. Harry leaned in closer, curious. "I showed her Gertrude in a picture of my family."

"Your family?" Understanding flared in his eyes. "I read about your grandfather in the Prophet, I'm sorry."

"Thank you. My mum and dad were killed too, but they were a muggle and Squib, so the Prophet didn't care."

"I know what it's like." Harry said, his voice was sincere and solemn, just like Eva's. He'd probably exhausted all his sadness too. "My godfather died earlier in the month."

"I'm sorry Harry." Eva said. "What was he like?"

"He was kind funny, definitely brave, and he was my father's best mate since his Hogwarts years so he saw a lot of my father in me…some people said too much." He looked at Eva before he finished, searching for something she couldn't place. "He was Sirius Black."

"The mass murderer?" Eva gasped.

"_He is not a murderer!_" Harry growled, Eva gulped. She was unaccustomed to this angrier side of him. "He was framed!"

"Oh, okay." Eva murmured. The regret that laced her voice made Harry's anger fade.

"Well it's not like you knew, Fudge cleared him of the charges but not a lot of wizards trust Fudge at the moment…" The awkward silence returned to sit between them.

Eva, meanwhile, dug into her brain to figure out what to say to ease the tension. _Come on, come on, there's got to be something I can say!_

"H-Harry, did you know?" He glanced at Eva again. "D-Did you know…Professor Lupin was a werewolf? Even when he was our teacher in third year! He's still pretty nice though."

"Uh," Harry blinked. "I heard something about that."

"And-Professor-Moody-wasn't-even-Professor-Moody-he-was-a-Death-Eater!" Eva spoke at mile per minute. "I'm-not-sure-if-Professor-Umbridge-was-something-other-than-Professor-Umbridge-too-but-she-might-have-been-On-the-week-before-OWLs-Su-called-her-a-'fluffy-pink-toad'-who-was-dumber-than-a-troll-inferi-hybrid-and-then-she-got-detention-with-Lee-Jordan-I-think-his-name-was-and-Su's-right-hand-was-bleeding-with-the-words-'I-will-not speak-out-of-terms'-but-she-did-it-again-but-it-was-just-as-class-ended-so-Umbridge-couldn't-give-her-any-punishment-My-uncle-said-she-was-secretly-a-Dementor-but-he-was-kidding-but-I-think-he-may-have-been-accidently-right–"

"Eva," He started, thankfully for her as she used the interruption to take in a few breaths. Harry was valiantly trying not to laugh, but he smiled and it made Eva smile too. "You're pretty funny too."

* * *

><p>Manny and Dumbledore walked into the living room minutes later. Manny couldn't help but gawk at the Boy Who Lived. While he inwardly scorned wizards and witches who claimed he was the Chosen One to defeat Voldemort once and for all, the man was amazed Harry had somehow squeeze out of another confrontation with him. If anything was extraordinary about the Gryffindor, Manny would grudgingly admit it was his luck.<p>

Harry finally noted Manny's stare and countered it with his own but then moved his gaze to the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore grinned. "Nice to see you two have gotten yourselves acquainted."

_Because obviously she wouldn't know the famous Harry Potter on sight. _Manny thought with rolled eyes. Eva pouted, silently pleading with her uncle to make nice with the two of them. He relented. "I'm Manny Scott, Eva's uncle – which you may not believe from how young I look."

The two teens laughed, disarming them as Manny wanted. He sat on a stool he dragged from the kitchen to be across from the couch. In between them was a glass table with iron legs. Dumbledore set three papers - one a nice white sheet and the others rolled – up pieces of parchment – and a small velvet bag on it.

"I'm –"

"Obviously Severus Snape," Manny quipped. "And not his notorious student Harry Potter, good to meet you." Harry frowned, surprising Manny. Rita Seeker was the lowest of louses in his mind but she had managed to convince him for a time that the boy really was an attention seeking loon. _If he didn't want it, why get into so much trouble?_ He justified.

"Now that introductions have been dealt with, it's about time we discussed the reason I've asked you all here." The elderly man settled into plush armchair. "I've been asked to read out the wills of Sirius Black, Dermid Scott, Albert Palmer, and Carmen Scott – Palmer." Manny swallowed, he had been dreading this moment for ever since the funeral ended. "If Manuel and Eva don't mind Harry, I'd like to start with Sirius's first."

Manny sighed in relief. He wanted to delay his own families for as long as possible. "It's fine Dumbledore." He said. Eva nodded shyly.

"Good then." Frail – looking hands gently unraveled one rolled-up paper. He adjusted half – moon shaped lens before reading: "Harry Potter, Sirius Black has named you the sole beneficiary of everything in his possession." Green eyes went wide with shock, even Manny whistled. Regulus Black wasn't a close friend to him despite being housemates, but Manny knew him well enough to note always up-to-date textbooks, always perfectly tailored robes, and highly expensieve Firewhiskey he always managed to sneak in the Slytherin dorms.

_And once again Potter wins the jackpot. _Manny snarked to himself before tuning back into his ex – Headmaster's reading.

"Um, you can keep using Grimmauld for Order stuff." Harry told him. "But I don't want Kreacher. I'll just set him free." Bitterness dripped in his last words. Manny recalled the house elf pestering Eva about 'dirtying' his mistress's home and mentally griped along with Harry.

"Serving the Black Family has been Kreacher's honor for decades, he's dedicated to it. He'd consider it an act of cruelty if you freed him Harry." Dumbledore pointed out. "Besides, he might be a great help in the future."

"Sure…"

As the teen boy pouted, Dumbledore turned to the teen girl. "I'd like to read your parents' will next. Again if Manuel doesn't mind…"

"I don't." Neither looked at Eva, but both stared at the velvet bag instead.

"Alright then Eva, according to the late Mr. and Mrs. Palmers' will, while your mother's gardening store will be handled by your great – aunt until you are out of school or beyond that if you wish. All of their worldly possessions and their pounds now belong to you." The girl nodded dully. Unlike Harry, Manny knew her parents settled in a comfortable middle – class, the money was nothing to get excited about. Plus, most of said 'worldly possessions' were destroyed in the attack that killed Albert and Carmen, any surviving ones would probably be an unpleasant memento of once was.

_Whatever she needs, I'll give her, I promise. _The former Slytherin silently vowed. Dumbledore picked up the last rolled up parchment and Manny held his breath.

"Dermid Scott left his estate to be split between any relatives that survive him, in this case Manuel and Eva. His fortune would've gone to Carmen." Manny felt a small tinge of envy. He already knew his parents had a favorite but it bothered him to be reminded of it after so many years. "Thus it now goes to Eva as well." Eva looked at the floor. "His books will go to Manuel. Meanwhile Eva, you're mentioned by name here with specific instructions."

Eva and Harry – who made Manny growled quietly, as the nosy boy shouldn't be so curious about what doesn't concern him – gaped at the small tubes of silvery liquid that the old wizard removed from the velvet bag finally.

"Those are for a Pensieve aren't they?" Harry asked.

"Quite right Harry," Dumbledore put them back in the bag and tossed them to Eva. They nearly slipped from her skittish hands twice but she caught it. "Under Dermid's orders, they are exclusively for Eva to view. The exact words he used are: 'when she wants to start searching for answers'."

Manny swiped the scroll from his hands. "He wouldn't!" Manny skimmed the document, his eyes settled on the cursive black ink in his father's handwriting. "He would, unbelievable…"

"Do you know?" Eva piped up. Her voice was soft and eager and made Manny's stomach churn. "Do you know what's in them Uncle Manny?"

"I…I have an idea." Manny lied. He sat but down but felt Harry's distrustful stare linger on him. "But I'm not sure." He smiled knowingly at his ex–Headmaster. "I don't suppose you'd know…"

"Not the slightest clue." Dumbledore grinned back. They were really both full of it. "But she can come to my office at any time to use the Pensieve. Or I could have one placed here if she'd like."

"Thank you." She murmured. "I…I think I'll wait, this is too much right now."

Harry, with only few seconds of hesitation, put a friendly hand on her shoulder and Eva blushed. Manny raised an eyebrow. _What happened with them?_

"That settles that then." Dumbledore raised his wand and the papers vanished. "Eva, Harry, why don't you two head in the kitchen, you probably haven't eaten in a while. Lupin left some chocolate cake in the fridge when he visited yesterday. Manuel and I will join you two in a second."

Eva hopped off the couch immediately but Harry stalled, getting up as slowly as possible. Manny smirked. When the teen realized he wouldn't catch any conversation between him and Dumbledore he followed Manny's niece.

"Why didn't you give those vials to me?" Manny questioned. "Eva might lose them and I don't want just anyone to see my father's private thoughts."

"Neither did he. Dermid and I both feared you might tamper with the memories, they don't paint you in the most pleasant light." Dumbledore replied honestly. Manny clenched his teeth. "Before you get angry with me Manuel, you should know I've found a solution to you and Eva's problem. I know somewhere else she could stay and be perfectly safe."

"Really?"

"Yes." The old wizard answered. "After all, who do you know is more trustworthy than the Weasleys?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I shouldn't have jinxed myself with my last Author's Note. Thanks for waiting. ^^


	7. The Palmers' Bittersweet Summer

_The Palmers' Bittersweet Summer, Part I_

_Dear Su,_

_Hopefully this letter gets to you before school starts, for my others I borrowed Hedwig from Harry but for this one I'm using the Weasley's family owl, Errol. I heard from the others he's quite old and a bit flighty but it couldn't hurt to try just this once. _

_Now before you harp on about me needing my own owl you already know why I can't, they don't like Gertrude since she has a habit of stealing mice from right out of their mouths. The first time Fred and George (the twins who did those fireworks last year) saw it they said it was "wicked!"_

_Unfortunately not all the Weasleys were pleased with her when we first got here._

* * *

><p>Eva peered uneasily through a crack in the door before deciding to take a risk and head in. The Burrow was interesting to look at from the outside with its lopsided floors and wide yard speckled with boots and garden gnomes. From the inside she was surprised to see a small but impeccably clean kitchen where magic and people were moving from place to place with wicked speed, none more than a plump, red – haired woman who made the nine dirty plates flutter off the wooden table and into the sink where sponges scrubbed them as if guided by invisible hands.<p>

"It's a lot different from Grimmauld's right?" Harry asked.

"Definetely." Eva smiled. "And that's a good thing."

"I'll say." The pride in his voice was so sincere. If Eva didn't know better she would've thought he was speaking about his own home. "Missus Weasley, we're back!"

"Ah, good!" The woman walked over to them, beaming brightly at Eva. "You must be the one Dumbledore spoke about, I'm Molly." Eva shyly gave her left hand, anticipating a shake. So she gasped when the woman gave her a hug instead. "I know you've had a hard time lately, so welcome dear."

Eva blinked away tears and smiled. The warmth of the woman reminded her of the pleasant past where her mom embraced her. "T-Thank you."

"It's not a problem Eva." Molly moved to her stove. "You missed breakfast but I managed to make sure they saved a bit for you." She turned to Eva and shook her head. "You're so thin, have you been eating right? Goodness knows that –" Molly suddenly screeched, Eva and Harry winced, the fried eggs she in the pan she held flew.

"_Immobulus!_" The eggs froze in place, the beautiful blonde who cast the spell looked distastefully at Eva. The Hufflepuff squirmed, averting her own yellowish eyes away from the harsh blue one. Yet soon Eva realized the cool gaze was directed towards her calf. Gertrude had wound around her tan legs before following the curve of her slender body up the orange summer dress and on to Eva's shoulders. "What its zhat thing doing here?!" The blonde's husky voice barked.

**I could ask the same about _that_ thing. **Gertrude hissed softy, the sound was threatening enough to make the blonde point her wand at the snake.

"Oh, didn't mean to startle you Fleur." Molly said, still a bit breathless. "I forgot about Eva's friend for a moment. Eva Palmer this is Fleur Delacour – another guest and my son's fiancée." Eva blinked; she could have sworn the Weasley matron had a faint, almost untraceable hint of dismay in those last couple words. Considering how sweetly she had spoken before, Eva convinced herself it was just in her head. "Fleur, this Eva Palmer and her pet." The scarlet snake looked at Eva, her dismay at being called something so mundane as 'pet' was much more blatant to the Hufflepuff's ears.

"Her name's Gertrude, she's friendly." Eva said disarmingly. Harry coughed a bit, failing to completely hide his snort. "Do you want to hold her?" Eva offered. As she stretched out her hand Gertrude crawled along it and Fleur recoiled. "She's not poisonous or anything – well, no snake is really poisonous anyways, just venomous –" Seeing Fleur's eyes grow two sizes made Eva swiftly backtrack. "_Some_ are venomous. Gertrude isn't. She's a corn snake. Grandmum gave her to me and my mum to eat rodents who gnawed on her apple trees."

"Ugh!" Fleur shook with disgust, waving her hands in front of her as if to fling off dirt. She stomped out of the room, just as a girl with red hair and freckles came in. She smiled and gingerly patted Gertrude's bright scales. The snake traveled across her bare, ivory arm and the girl laughed, apparently ticklish.

"Nice to meet the both of you." She said. "Harry didn't mention he was bringing home Phlegm – be - gone."

* * *

><p><em>Fleur still glares at me sometimes but I don't mind, whenever she started pestering me too badly Gertrude would lick her heels. I would try to stop her but you know how Gertrude is, Harry even asked her to quit it but that was a lost cause.<em>

_I know what you're thinking now – and stop it. Harry and I have _not_ turned the Weasleys home into a "love shack" - where on earth did you hear such a weird term anyways? We've hung out a few times, in such a crowded house it'd be harder not to run into each other, but even so Hermione and Ron were around when we did. The three of them are really close, I guess I should've expected as much from the Golden Trio. However, all of them looked shocked when I called them that, apparently they didn't know that was their nickname among some of the younger students._

_Ron's been nice, so has Hermione – it makes me feel bad for believing those insipid articles from Rita Skeeter in fourth year. But the truth is it was a bit awkward at first. They wereabout as used to a quartet as I was. A part of me felt like I shouldn't try to graft myself on to them, so I kept to myself. I wasn't lonely though, since Ginny – the girl Weasley I mentioned before – was always eager to chat. _

_Unfortunately, that means even when I wasn't._

* * *

><p>"You like Harry don't you?" Eva felt her cheeks redden. Ginny's wide grin mimicked the Cheshire Cat's. "Yup, you do."<p>

"Ginny!" Eva whispered, although she felt a bit silly a beat later. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were on the fifth floor while she and Ginny resided on the first, in the latter's bedroom to be exact. She continued in her normally quiet voice. "U-Um, how did you know?"

"From experience." Ginny told her. "The shyness when he's around, the lingering gazes towards him and then diving your head into something else when he notices, the awestruck look when someone's mentioned something cool he's done." She giggled. "It's like I use a Time Turner and I'm looking at myself in first year!"

"Oh! I – uh -" Eva blurted the first thing in her head. "I didn't mean to intrude –"

"Well you should!" Ginny said sternly, Eva frowned in confusion. "I might have gotten over my crush of him but that hasn't stopped the rest of the girls from fancying Harry." The ginger shook her head. "That Chosen One nonsense the Prophet is spewing doesn't help. I have to say, if you want to pursue him you have lots of competition come next year."

"Um, did Su put you up to this?" Eva questioned. She couldn't imagine any other reason for the youngest Weasley's sudden advice.

Ginny's head moved side to side once more. She hopped backwards into her bed, landing in Indian – style. "It's like I said before Eva, you remind me of myself before. And now I wished someone told past-me some things. For instance." Ginny grinned. "Man up."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, woman up." Ginny corrected. "The mousy, hero – worshipper isn't attractive to Harry at all. Last year, he, Ron, and Hermione hatched a plan to give us DA lessons because Umbridge was more interesting in pleasing Fudge than teaching us a damn thing. When other people started talking about his Patronus, and the Triwizard Tournament, and other stuff like that he got all insecure, saying that it was mostly luck. While he didn't appreciate being thought of as a nutter, celebrity adoration isn't going to win him over either."

"O-Oh, alright." Eva sat in a small stool across from the bed. Suddenly feeling winded by all the new information.

"Besides, Harry's like a brother to me – he's brave and selfless just like everyone thinks he is. I'd trust him with my life. But I'd also admit he can be a stubborn, snarky, hot – tempered prick." Ginny softened her tone afterwards, probably because Eva looked like she was going to tip over in shock. "I'm telling you this because you seem like a nice girl. If you were only into 'The Boy Who Lived' like that twit Romilda Vane, I wouldn't waste my breath. I'm not saying 'don't ask him out'. I'm saying 'he's not perfect'."

"I know." Eva told her quietly. The flash of anger Harry showed her weeks ago at the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters replayed in her mind. "I've seen. But I'm not perfect either."

Ginny got up and patted her shoulder. It was a friendly gesture, so Eva smiled. "You shouldn't have to be. Just be yourself." She paused for a moment, deeply thinking. "And avoid getting him any gifts that sing."

* * *

><p><em>She's a bit gruff, but Ginny's still a nice girl. She, plus your threat of sending a love Howler and saying it was from me, got me to talk with Harry, Ron, and Hermione more. I'll admit, it was fun. We watched Quidditch matches from the crystal ball I got for my 13th birthday – Ron was really happy about the Cannons losing by only ten points, I'll never understand this game – we helped Missus Weasley around the House – when I mentioned how I felt a little bad for House Elves who had to do this kind of work all the time, Hermione was ecstatic! She spoke at length about 'SPEW' – her house elf rights club, it didn't seem so bad but when I asked Ron and Harry why I hadn't seen anything at school about it they both got these pained looks on their faces. Maybe I'm missing something to the story.<em>

_Speaking of Harry, he's mostly been quiet, polite, and even friendly on occasion. He already told me about his late godfather Sirius Black, who was framed by the way but he also told me about living with his muggle relatives. They were awful, and I told him so, and I stupidly I let it slip that my parents would've called the cops on them long before Hogwarts found him on his eleventh birthday._

_Maybe it was the suddenness, but when I thought Mum and Dad then, how Dad might have teased me playfully for talking to a boy I liked, or how Mum might have grilled him with questions like she sometimes did when she suspected a young bloke was snooping around the shop for more than flowers, I cried again. He didn't say anything until I stopped awhile later, neither did Ginny, Hermione, or Ron when they heard me and came into the room. I was glad though, in an odd way it was better than the 'it's okay' or the 'it'll get better' that some wizards gave me at the funeral, the silence seemed more honest. We even played Wizard Chess and Exploding Snap afterwards, it felt like something friends would do._

_I could get used to be friends with them. _

_Meanwhile I forgot Ginny's warning completely. I mean, I got what she meant about the snark, Harry's pretty funny when he wants to be. That didn't deter me however, if anything I liked him more since he and Uncle Manny shared a sense of humor. But his stubbornness, I only had to deal with it once after me and Ginny's talk and once was enough, trust me._

_Especially since it brought out my own, it was so sudden even I couldn't believe how angry I got afterwards._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Ooh, trouble's a brewing... Admittedly I wanted to finish this all in one part but I underestimated the length. You''l get the second part of Eva's summer summary next time. Until then thanks for reading!


	8. The Palmers' Bittersweet Summer 2

_The Palmers' Bittersweet Summer, Part II_

Eva breathed a sigh of relief. She even let the owl who gave she, Harry, Hermione, and Ron their letters nibble a strawberry on her plate he had been eyeing. She smiled at the Trio. "I got nine O.W.L.s in all, that's not too bad."

"That's more than Fred and George got put together." Ron told her encouragingly. "That's brilliant!"

"Honestly, those two could've put some effort into it." Hermione admonished. "The O.W.L.s weren't all that hard if you simply studied." Eva giggled. She knew full well that while she and Su had retreated into the library for weeks before the wizard exam in feverish studying haste, Hermione had practically lived in Madame Pince's domain during that same time.

"Or if we simply thwack poor sods on the nose with textbooks like the brightest of our year Hermione." Harry said, unconsciously rubbing the spot where he told Eva he'd gotten hit with _Achievements in Charming _for the heinous crime of quizzing his studious friend. Hermione flushed. "We'd all have gotten 11 O.W.L.s then."

"That's incredible! Do you mind if I…?" Hermione handed her the score sheet proudly before the Hufflepuff could finish. "O in Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Ancient Runes…um, I'll skip to the Es: E in Defense Against the Dark Arts and…that's it." Eva frowned. "Maybe I didn't do so well after all."

"Ah, it's fine Eva. Anyone comparing themselves to Hermione is just looking for a reason to get depressed!" Ron assured her. The redhead glanced at Eva's report on the wooden table of the kitchen. "But an O in Potions is step above Harry and I at least."

"Really?" Eva said. "Didn't the two of you make a Polyjuice Potion in second year?"

Both Harry and Ron nodded at Hermione, the only other one of the quartet that got an Outstanding in that class. The bushy – haired girl beamed. "It was nothing, really!"

"I couldn't do that, even if Uncle Manny did help me like before." Harry raised an eyebrow.

"He helped you?"

"Yeah, lots of times." She said causally. "He's really good at Potions, mostly because he sometimes got Snape to tutor him. The teacher during their time in Hogwarts was also in Slytherin. Uncle Manny tried to impress him a lot, get in some sort of Slug Club oddly enough. Too bad his Care of Magical Creature's score was Troll on the best days."

She laughed but it died in her when the Golden Trio stared at her. Ron in particular, looked at Eva as if she had grown two heads. "Your uncle's a Slytherin?!"

Eva nodded. "Well he was, but doesn't like to advertise it now that he's out of Hogwarts. He's a Half – Blood with a muggle – born niece, not exactly the traditional Alumni."

"Yeah the traditional Alumni consist of gits like Malfoy and twits like Crabbe and Goyle!" Harry laughed at Ron's comment but it grated Eva a bit. Inside she knew it was mostly true, the deep – seated prejudice of the House is what made her not aim for it in the first place. But something about attacking the House of her Uncle Manny – and only in that context – made her uncomfortable.

"They're not all bad…" She muttered quietly.

"Not all bad?" Ron asked incredulously. He snorted. "Eva! Lestrange, Avery, Snape – what do they all have in common besides their House – they all used to be or currently are Death Eaters!"

"T-That's insane!" Eva cried. "Dumbledore wouldn't let a Death Eater teach his students!" Professor Snape wasn't her favorite teacher but as she never had to deal with him playing favorites in the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff class, she viewed him as a strict and gruff but fair. _But if he was…_Eva shivered. _That'd be scary. _

"He has a Dark Mark!" Harry said firmly. Eva shuttered again. "He went to Voldemort two hours after he came back into power!"

"That's not fair Harry." Hermione piped up. "You know he went on Dumbledore's orders. He's a spy for us."

"So he isn't one after all." Eva let out a breath of relief. "W-Why would you scare me like that?"

"I still don't like him." Harry crossed his arms and growled. "I still don't trust him."

"I don't get why."

Eva murmured it to herself. She hadn't even been aware he heard until Harry roar: "You don't get it! He's a slimy old man who gets his jollies of watching me fail and his Slytherins bully their way to the top! And if your Uncle's anything like that then he can't be trusted either!"

Eva to face him, his green eyes were ablaze. But in his anger he couldn't see that her golden – brown ones were smoldering too.

"Can't be trusted?" Eva started in her usual, quiet voice. "My uncle, who's been with me since I was born, raised me with my parents as his own…" The tone picked up, full of anger… "protected me from Death Eaters – one who was a Ravenclaw in fact! – can't be trusted?! If you can't trust anyone because of their House, maybe there's just something wrong with _you_! Not my Uncle!"

Eva covered her mouth a second too late, the words had already escaped. Harry's face showed nothing but pure shock, Hermione and Ron matched his. Eva quickly mumbled "s-s-sorry" before she snatched her OWL scores from Ron's hand and stormed out of the kitchen.

* * *

><p><em>That wasn't my best day ever. I just wanted to defend Uncle Manny and I ended up saying something terrible to Harry. He spent all of last year being treated like a nutter the Prophet convinced most people he was and then I tell him he's still mad. <em>

_I avoided him for about a week, and he didn't seek me out trying to apologize so I guess that was for the best. Hermione would talk to me a bit, Ron less than that – and I get it. Harry's their friend. They've got to defend him too. (So no, you can't send them anonymous howlers. I know it was you who gave that one note to Parkison as a "Valentine" when she pulled my hair in second year. No.)_

_Speaking of Uncle Manny, I'd like to update you on him – but I'd like an update from him first! He's been a total enigma since I got to the Burrow. He stopped by occasionally, every few days or so. Uncle Manny would just ask me how I was doing, if there was anything I needed and was still saved at home, if any of the Weasleys were bothering me..._

_I was able to find a loophole out of that one thankfully – Harry and Fleur aren't Weasleys – he's been very protective and very stressed lately. Every time I saw him there were more rings around his yellow – brown eyes than the last. I didn't want him to deal with my problems too. Meanwhile he'd leave before any sort of meal, despite Molly Weasley's numerous protests, or anytime when everyone in the house got together. Unfortunately, this means he left before he could answer any of my questions with more than a vague "you'll see" or "I can't tell you yet". _

_I hate to say it, but all of this made my birthday surprise a lot less of a surprise, just a disappointment._

* * *

><p>"Y-Y-You're going w-where?" Eva stammered.<p>

"Away." Manny groaned out an answer. He was already at the Burrow's open door, but it was early. The orange of the rising sun just barely touched the deep blue sky that was still glittering with stars. Eva was clad in her pajamas, having been just woken up by Gertrude, but her uncle wore jeans and a t – shirt under his worn grey robe. "It's not for forever Eva, and I'm not going half – cocked. Your 'professors' Lupin and Moody are coming with me, we'll be gone for…" He smoothed back a hair from his chocolate colored hair strand away from his forehead, stalling. "…at best a few months."

"A few –"

Manny shushed her. "Yes, I'm sorry but that's the best case scenario. Not even the Weasleys or the 'Chosen One' knows about this, it's between us, Dumbledore, and you." His voice dropped in volume and depth. "Please keep this a secret Eva. Don't tell a soul unless you absolutely trust them, an even then give them only the barest details. Please."

Harry's words about her uncle's trustworthiness chimed in her head. Eva grimaced but nodded. "Alright, if you say so."

Manny let out a breath, he gave his niece a tired smile. "If all goes well we'll have an idea about where my Mum went." Eva's eyes lit up. "If they go really well then we'll find her and bring her back home. She –" Her occasionally causal, occasionally aloof uncle pulled her into a tight hug. "She'll be very proud when she hears how brave you've been." His husky voice managed to crack somehow. It was possibly the closest to tears that Eva had actually seen him.

Eva was a lot less ashamed, tears leaked out as she returned the hug. "You're the brave one! You're going after Grandmum and the Death Eaters!"

Manny let go just as suddenly as he started the hug. Although in the pocket of her spotted, baggy shorts she felt something square – shaped that hadn't been there before. "You didn't think I'd forget your birthday did you? Not every day your niece turns 16."

Eva took out the box, which was possibly blue but the dim lighting made it impossible to tell. She was however, able to tell what was inside of the box. It was a small gold chain, and on it a small key charm. It had rhinestones on the handle that looked like diamonds. "It's pretty."

"Good, I consulted that small girl ginger about a good gift. She drives a hard bargain – I almost had to pay her more for the information than for the necklace itself. I'm stuck between insulted and impressed." He beamed. Finally resembling the fun uncle she remembered was a part of her life before her fifth year ended. "Do me a favor and wear it once in a while so I get my money's worth, alright?"

Eva nodded, sliding the chain around her neck and hooked it. "I won't take it off till you or Grandmum – or the both of you – come back. I promise!"

"Thanks." Manny patted her shoulder. "And Happy Birthday Eva."

Suddenly the warmth of his hand disappeared, and so did her uncle with a 'pop!' Eva ran outside. In the distance she saw one dark silhouette meet up with two others. She didn't go back into the Burrow till all of the images faded out of sight.

* * *

><p><em>It's been awhile since then but I've only gotten one owl from him. He claims to be fine but 'fine' could mean so many things! "I'm fine because the Death Eater's sliced off my right hand but I'm a lefty anyways! I'm fine because I found Grandmum and we're trapped together now! I'm fine but Professor Lupin and Professor Moody are corpses in front of me!"<em>

_Yes, I've been panicking a little bit, Ginny scolded me already. Then she reminded me that Dumbledore would've probably been alerted if something had gone wrong, which is true I guess, but I wasn't really in the mood for rational at the moment. Harry asked about him and I said he went back to work as an Unspeakable. _

_Lying to him only made me feel worse, like he had called the wrong Palmer untrustworthy. _

_We were still not – really – talking, technically, which is why I had given him that excuse. I was sensitive and he was stubborn. More time past, eventually his birthday came too. Molly made him a cake and we all sang but my heart wasn't really in it. While he was unwrapping presents I slipped away into the garden. I didn't really expect him to follow..._

* * *

><p>"Aren't you cold?" Eva was cooled by the grass, but not uncomfortably so. She wore a jacket thick enough to keep her warm but not so much so that she was sweating in the summer dusk.<p>

But the fact Harry had asked her made her whole spine shake. She sat up. "What are you doing out here?" She asked. Then she shook her head. "You shouldn't be out here, you're the Birthday Boy, you should be with everyone else!"

"What about you? You're not with everyone else! You didn't even tell us your birthday was over two weeks ago! Missus Weasley is having a fit! She started baking another cake immediately."

Eva blinked. She hadn't told anyone since it was no secret that the Weasleys were far from wealthy and she felt they'd done enough for her. _I hadn't told anyone but_…Eva sighed. "I told Ginny not to worry everyone."

"Well she did, after we noticed you left." Harry plopped on the grass, inches from her. The Hufflepuff had to sternly remind herself that she was not happy with him at the moment but she could feel her checks get hot anyways. "Your singing," he started. Eva looked at him. "Your singing wasn't that bad."

"What? That's –" Eva realized a beat later it was a joke. It helped that Harry snickered to himself. She snorted at herself too. "You're not funny."

"I guess you'd know. You're hilarious." Eva couldn't help but giggle again. "You know, it's pretty ace what you can do."

"Eh?"

"You can find something to laugh at, even when things seem like things heading down the rubbish heap." He plucked at blades of grass absentmindedly. "I usually beat myself up for a while."

"That's not bad either." Eva said honestly. "You've got a lot more to consider than your average Hogwarts student. It's a lot more ace to face a Hungarian Horntail and start an underground DADA class."

Harry frowned. "Most of that I had help with." True to Ginny's word, he was humble to fault.

"Everyone needs help, doesn't mean you're any less heroic and all –" Eva cursed herself. After a Harry – dry spell she kept gushing out whatever came to her head. "Er – I – um –"

"Sorry." Harry told her, thankfully saving her from explaining herself. "I know you miss your Uncle and all, Mister Weasley says they can disappear for months at a time when doing their research."

"Mmhm." Eva muttered dully. Her uncle's words wafted in her head. "I'm sorry too, he wanted me to keep it a secret but the truth is he's going with Professor Moody and Professor Lupin to search for my Grandmum."

Harry blinked, frowned – causing Eva to hold her breath – and then shrugged – Eva exhaled. "At least you told me."

They were quiet for a few minutes. Eva was reminded of that time in Grimmauld Place all over again. Unfortunately Gertrude couldn't intervene. The corn snake was snoozing off the chubby field mouse in her scarlet stomach. _Guess it's up to me now. _Eva thought determinedly.

"Harry!" She said, slightly loud so he jumped a bit. "I want to get you a gift when we go to Diagon Alley for school supplies! Do you mind waiting for the present?!"

"Uh, no." Harry said, unsure of where the sudden volume had come from. "If you want I'll get you something to."

"Ah, you don't have to."

"Oh, I have to. Ginny will Bat – Bogey Hex me if I don't, I'm sure." Harry shook his head. "She hinted on and on about 'someone special' who might want a present soon. I had no idea what she was harping about till now." He laid back into the grass. Eva followed him. "She'll be a fifth – year you know."

"Yes, we've been talking." Eva smiled. "We've had loads of girl talks." Harry winced, obviously picturing something very far from the topic Eva and Ginny had truly discussed. The Hufflepuff laughed, mercifully changing the subject. "I'm sure we'll wish we were fifth – years when we finally get to these N.E.W.T classes. Susan Bones told me they're worst than the O.W.L.s!"

"Yeah…" He told her, but the tone told Eva his mind had more than curriculum in it.

"Harry," Eva said. "What I told you in June still stands. Anything I can do to help, I will."

A faint smile graced his lips. "Thanks Eva."

* * *

><p><em>Su, I'm being very clear here. That was not the kindling of any romantic embrace, or the prelude of any passionate kiss, nothing happened afterwards. <em>We talked. _Half an hour later Missus Weasley called us in for a second helping of cake. I was telling Missus Weasley that she didn't need to go that far when the twins – who were messing with extra helpings of Harry's treat- accidentally, magicked some of it to hit Ron in the face. Ron's still underage but he grabbed a handful of my cake at chucked it at them. They ducked and just as Ginny turned around it hit her. She got some at lobbed it at Harry and Harry at Hermione and Hermione at me._

_Ten minutes of a raging food fight was all Missus Weasley could take. She wouldn't let us wash the cake off ourselves till the kitchen was spotless. Harry said it was the funnest birthday yet._

_He has a nice laugh. I've never been close enough to notice._

_So that's the summer in a nutshell. Just being Harry's friend is fine for now, maybe one day I'll have enough courage to move forward with my feelings, but not today._

_Hermione and Ron are prefects like Ernie and Susan. Hopefully we can all sit together on the train over to Hogwarts. Until then, I hope everything's is good on your end._

_Sincerely,_

_Eva_


	9. The Palmers Face The Past

_The Palmers Face The Past_

"A glasses case?" Su shook her head. "What kind of romantic gift is that?"

"The nonromantic kind? And he needed a new one." Eva shrugged and then shoved her suitcase into the appropriate crate above their heads. "What would you suggest? One of my pants?"

The Ravenclaw went silent. "Su..." Eva started warningly.

"The spotted ones look really cute you know."

"Su!" Eva whirled around, seeing her friend snort, in the seat across from her, Hannah could barely hold in her own chuckles.

"That is pretty though." Hannah pointed at her bare neck; Eva touched the same area on her neck and found the golden necklace. "He probably likes you more than you think."

"Oh! No, no. Harry gave me a small jar of Cauldron Cakes." Eva shook her head. "It's from my uncle, the long-haired wizard you met at the funeral."

"Did he ever answer you back?" Su questioned, probably recalling the last letter Eva sent her. "It's awfully rude of him to just drop off the map after everything. And don't give me that face Eva," The Hufflepuff continued to pout. "Yes, he's your family and he cares for you but that doesn't make him a saint."

"But still..." Eva defensive attitude was gone in an instant. Specifically, the instant Harry came back into the compartment, two others in tow. Eva knew the first one, a slightly pudgy blond boy who outdid everyone in their Herbology classes, Neville Longbottom. Hannah's bright brown eyes grew with interest, she patted the seat next to her and Neville took it with a smile.

The blonde girl had a much less pleasant welcome, courtesy of Su's lack of filter: "Hey, what's with Loony Lovegood?"

"_Luna_ Lovegood." Harry said tensely. Although the girl seemed nonplussed by the nickname, the Gryffindor was offended enough for the both of them. Eva couldn't wholly swallow down the envy she felt rising.

_Remember what Ginny told you._ Eva steeled herself. _This Luna won't be the first girl you have to deal with._ "Um, H-Harry!" Eva started with a stammer. "I-If you want there's a space over here."

"Thanks." Harry walked over at sat next to her. With his eyes on Eva he was clueless to the wild grin Su gained. Luna noted, however.

"Did something happen?" The blonde Ravenclaw asked airily. She sat in the other space next to Harry. For some reason she glanced above Su. "Was it the denta doxies? They have a habit for freezing people's faces in odd shapes."

Eva blinked, confused. "I've never heard of denta doxies before." Neville commented.

"You can't hear them. They freeze your eardrums too..." Luna informed them. Somehow the next twenty minutes were eaten up by her explanation on these odd fairies only Luna was in the know about. Eva tried to keep up with the girl but her theories of magic and magical creatures only seemed to get wilder as she went on.

_I guess this where the 'Loony' came from._ Eva thought. But after Luna gave her a kind, appreciative smile Eva felt immediately awful. _She seems nice though, I can see why he likes her._

Mid-speech about nargles, the compartment door swung open. "Harry my boy! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Um, hello Professor." Harry sounded just as surprised as everyone else looked. Eva for one didn't know this portly man with a bright, balding man was supposed to be her Professor. He stared at Harry with such delight. The Hufflepuff thought he was doing a stunning impression of Gertrude after she spotted a fat squirrel. He seemed familiar, however, but Eva couldn't pin from where.

"Ah! Are you up to your old tricks again?" The professor clicked his tongue, but the awe in his tone washed away any hint of chiding. "I've heard of your little extra curriculum class you started under everyone's noses last year." Harry muttered something that was muted by the man's heavy laughter. "That's nothing to be ashamed about boy! It took daring, cunning, I'd think you'd do mighty well in my House." From the small frown on Harry's face, Eva could tell that the man was a former Slytherin. "But since I'm not the Sorting Hat, all I can do is invite you to have tea with me and the rest of my Slug Club."

_Slug Club? That's it! _"Excuse me," Eva began. "Are you Horace Slughorn?"

Slughorn took his eyes off Harry l for the first time. "Have we met young lady?"

Eva shook her head. "I know an old student of yours, Manuel Scott."

The man beamed once more. "Scott! One of my best students, not at the level of your mum of course-" he spoke to Harry. "But Scott, he was always the hardworking one. I heard he's with the Unspeakables now! A very select group they are...you're his daughter, yes?" Eva blinked, but shook her head once more. "Come now, you too have the exact same eyes, brown and gold, a bit of his other features too. Say, I've got an extra seat - feel free to join Harry and I for lunch!" Harry frowned further, possibly trying to remember when he agreed to Slughorn's invitation. Regardless, the professor earnestly tugged at his and Eva's hands till they relented. With a quick goodbye to everyone they headed out of the compartment.

* * *

><p>The manor could hardly be called so, not when it had lofty towers of crumbling stone beyond the steely gate that enclosed a good chuck of the surrounding area along with the house. If one didn't know any better, one would think the foreboding, fortress like home and its thorn covered garden that grew taller than Manny's six feet of height were cropped right out of the ground and placed here. The rest of Comano was full of bright green hills that stretched out like a sea, dotted by an ancient stone building or two. All and all it was calm little town in the middle of Italy's nowhere.<p>

Manny rubbed his eyes. _Carmen might not have minded, she might have even loved it here..._

He looked back to Lupin and Moody, the werewolf held his hand in the air, his palm flattened against an invisible wall. "The Enzo's are old. Last I heard their patriarch was two hundred years old." Moody stated. "I figured they would have something like this set up."

Manny shrugged, "Looks like this is going to be a solo mission. Sorry." He couldn't take one step on the cobblestone pathway to the manor's veranda before he felt Lupin yank him back.

"If a barrier charm's their first defense, what do you thinks waiting inside, a welcome to the neighborhood party? Don't be stupid." Lupin told him. Manny grumbled, mostly because the scarred man happened to be right. "We need a better plan than that."

"We _need_ to get inside." Manny growled.

"And what good is getting in if we can't get out." Moody shook his head. "A few of my old coworkers tangled with Enzos and their guard dogs in the First War, some pieces of those men are still in there." He gestured to the manor.

"All the more reason we have to get in and not dither here-" Manny choked down the rest of his rant, Lupin and Moody looked at him - or rather, wide grin that suddenly grew on his face - oddly. "Alastor, Remus," Manny started slowly, sweetly, deliberately. "How would the two of you like to come in for some tea?"

The invisible wall fell so abruptly Lupin nearly fell over.

Moody paled. "Have you been Confounded boy?!" He roared quietly. Manny merely answered by pulling him and the equally stunned Lupin away. The three men hid, sinking deeper into the thorny, unkempt trees until they whirled around at the sound of a wooden door slamming open.

"Chi c'è?!" A young man barked in Italian. He wore a much heavier, much more luxurious wizard robe than Manny, Moody, or Lupin. His face was pale, without so much as a freckle - the former Slytherin suspected that he spent so much time inside that the sun hadn't seen him. His hair was the color of dark coffee, so where his eyes. He looked about the same age as Eva. " Rispondimiè! Poco -"

"Niccoló, nessuno è qui." An old woman, dressed in a similar expensive fashion, to his right said sharply. But as she did the young wizard turned angry red. She gave him a tired sigh in response. "La barriera 'Anti-Apparizione' arresta anche qualsiasi persona che non è un puro sangue o la famiglia. A meno che non si invita qualcuno a casa nostra. Se ci fossero eventuali strani uomini qui intorno, avremmo visto li ormai." She dragged Niccoló back inside the manor with one arm. With other she gestured to the wizards who followed the teen outside. All of them save two left with the woman. The duo that stayed began wading through the garden.

"_Diffindo_." One said. Moody and Manny slunk deeper the brushes, narrowly avoid the slicing spell that leveled off trunks and branches. The wizard did the spell a second time, Lupin moved to the left quickly, so only the tiniest piece of his robe was nicked. But when the wizard only heard leaves flutter to the dirty floor he smiled and turned away.

_Not all too bright, are you. _Manny pointed at the man's back. He whispered: "_Stupefy_."

His partner falling over like the trunks he cut out of nowhere startled the other wizard. Before the guard could cry out, Lupin had his wand aimed at the Italian's throat. "_Silenco_." Although the werewolf spoke it quietly, the spell's effects were just as good, the man was muted. Moody knocked him down from behind, the wizard was out cold.

"It will buy us some time, but not a lot." Moody pointed his wand at the rusted golden knob of the entrance. A yellow light shot out of it and the handle became a molten puddle on the veranda. "We inspect first. Keep your wands in front and ahead. Be ready to strike at any moment." Manny mouthed the words he knew the old man was about ready to throw out: "Constant vigilance!"

Lupin nodded and was the first to go in, Manny trailed but not by much. He stared at the opulent yet outdated surroundings. They had dust-caked tapestries line peeling walls, a wooden stairwell whose holes were attempted to be hidden by a soft wine red-and-gold rug that reach from the top of the second floor to the bottom of Manny's feet. Manny sighed in relief when no portraits greeted them. Only a mirror on either side of foyer, rather than clear they were tinged gray from neglect. While taking in the surroundings, Manny glanced at himself by accident.

His reflection smirked and then wandered off. _Oh hell…_

"Inspections over Moody, we've been caught!"

The trio reached the second floor just as a swarm of wizards and witches covered the ground one. Red beams of light bounced off them thanks to Moody's quick shield spell. Niccoló returned from one hall of the second floor. He fired hex after hex but Lupin dodged every one of them before disarming the youth. Manny couldn't help but feel a bit of satisfaction when the boy turned red again. Niccoló was so angry that he merely stomped around shouted out orders to the rest of the people who shot at them instead of grabbing his own wand. Lupin might have been too much of a gentleman to attack a fangless young wizard but Manny, with a flick and a short spell, sent the furious Niccoló flying.

The teen landed with a groan at the old woman's feet. She screeched: "Enough!"

The barrage of spells stopped immediately, even Manny stopped unwillingly. The elder lady had shot at him and his wand was blasted away.

"You." Her wand was still set on Manny, as if Lupin and Moody – the two men who aimed at her – were simply two more wall tapestries. The wry smile looked a bit odd on her pallid, wrinkled face, but it made the former Slytherin shiver. It reminded him too much of his own. "You wouldn't be _hers _would you?" Her waifish, tall body shook, her laughs sounded hoarse – as if she hadn't used them for a while and they rusted along with everything else in the decaying manor.

"Impossible!" Niccoló growled in the same heavily accented English as the woman. He clutched his bleeding head. "They were all slaughtered! We made sure of it! The Death Eaters wouldn't be so careless!"

"But your dear Great – Aunt Clarissa over here was." Manny said. His icy glare hadn't pierced the old woman in the slightest. She howled with laughter still. "Tell me where Aurelia is." He ordered. He had to fight the tremors of angry heat welling inside his body too, before he spoke again. "Nonna, where is your daughter?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: I wasn't gonna introduce these guys for a while but I'm glad I did. I love, love, love how this chapter turned out. Get ready for some family drama next time!

Oh, and if you all out there notice anything off about my Italian - I'm still learning - please tell me!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Translation (Italian):<strong>

Niccoló:

_"Chi c'è?! Rispondimiè! Poco -_" = Who's there? Answer me! Little -"

Clarissa:

"_Niccoló, nessuno è qui. La barriera 'Anti-Apparizione' arresta anche qualsiasi persona che non è un puro sangue o della famiglia. A meno che non si invita qualcuno a casa nostra. Se ci fossero eventuali strani uomini qui intorno, avremmo visto li ormai._" = "Niccoló, no one is here. The Anti-Apparition stops any person who is not a pure-blood or of the family. Unless you invite someone to our house. If there were any strange men around here, we would have seen them by now."

Manny:

"_Nonna..._" = "Grandmother..."


	10. The Palmers' Family Reunion

_The Palmers' Family Reunion_

"Sit! Sit!" Lupin relented at Clarissa's second request, but he was tense still. He sat straight up in sunken, patchy loveseat. Moody, no matter how much the old woman badgered him, stood against the ashen yellow walls of her family's room. His icy blue eye swiveled between each door that led out.

_That's nothing new for Alastor, but Scott… _Manny, for someone so eager to enter only minutes ago he was now as stiff as cardboard on the stitched up couch in the room's center. His golden – brown eyes glanced at the doorways too. _Suddenly he doesn't want to be here anymore than we do. But I guess his 'Nonna' has something to do with that. _As if on cue the grandmother and the grandson's eyes met, dark brown to brown with yellow bits. The woman let out a few more husky laughs. _I would've never guessed the Palmers and the Enzos were related, but…_ He noted the woman's hair again. It was snowy white and pin straight save for a slight curl at Clarissa's shoulders. The reedy woman also shared the same frame as Manny's niece. _Scott would hex me for thinking it, but I can see some of Eva in her._

"I hope Nico hurries here with those tarts! You'd be surprised. We don't have guests all that often." Lupin nodded, Manny rolled his eyes. "Much less surprise guests like yourselves! I really must thank you three!" She smiled. Lupin gave a weak one back. "You've made my day a lot more interesting."

"Glad to amuse." Manny griped. "Obviously our purpose on the Earth was to entertain a decaying ding bat. Mission fulfilled, now we can all die with a song in our hearts!"

"If only you would die." Niccoló muttered. He arrived with a creaky copper trolley. On its dull silver plates were small cakes surrounded by a chipped off-white tea set. "I won't stay around blood filth –" Manny finally grinned. "– longer than I have to, how many guards should I call to stay with you and watch these intruders?"

"None," Clarissa said.

"None?!" The dark haired boy howled. "Hai perso la mente?!"

"You've lost your mind if you think you can sass me, or disrespect _my_ guests!" She sniped back. "Just because you lost your Death Eater parents in the last War, doesn't mean you get to act like an urchin – you're lucky I was around to raise you better than that."

Lupin had to gulp down the bile he felt when Clarissa smirked while the youth looked down at the teapot. Niccoló hands clenched the trolley's handle. _She knew it was a sore spot for him. She brought it up on purpose. _Niccoló glimpsed at the werewolf, trying to avoid his great – aunt's gaze. Lupin grinned at the boy hoping to cheer him up. Dark brown eyes widened, his lips formed a snarl, and without another word Niccoló released the trolley and turned on his heel, out.

"He's charming, homeschooled right?" Manny guessed. He picked up a tea cup and tossed it back and forth in his hands. "Didn't want him to get the dangerous ideas that your daughter did when she went to Hogwarts, you know, like the idea that she wasn't completely worthless or that blood purity is a load of crock." Manny's light, mocking tone dropped decibels as he spoke next. "Which reminds me, where the hell is my mother?"

"Come now, can't we deal with those trivial things later?" Manny held the tea cup in one hand and stared at it. Lupin wondered if his travel companion was staring to cool his ire or contemplating throwing the china at the Enzo matron. "I've only heard of you in passing, like when my father informed us all that you were probably dead. I've wanted to meet my only grandson for so long, or at least before he got killed." The sweeter and lighter her voice became the more and more Lupin's stomach churned. He grabbed and nibbled a small pastry as if that could settle it. "So tell me about yourself and your family? Is there anymore of you left?"

"No." Manny said. For once, Manny's incapability to hold his emotions in helped. The misery in his voice sold the lie he fed her. "I had a wife, but she died in the last War, this one took my sister and father."

"Ooh!" Clarissa's dark brown eyes sparkled, Lupin swallowed his tea in one swig but the ill feeling wouldn't leave him. "I remember that little Half – Blood, he came around once to 'ask for my daughter's hand in marriage'." Clarissa snorted. "He thought the tradition of it would impress a house full of Purebloods, poor fool. But I do feel for him, and you." Manny snorted this time. "If he weren't so daft, maybe he'd still be around. But tell me about this sister!"

"She was a Squib." Moody said gruffly. "Guessing your father wouldn't have liked that."

"No, he wouldn't have," Clarissa poured a cup for herself. She handed a second to Moody. He glared at it, as if he'd watched her pour poison directly inside. "None for you Alastor? You look so parched."

"None." Moody said only a second after she finished speaking. Lupin blinked, not so much because the oft-paranoid Moody refused but from how Clarissa seemed to have known his name without anyone giving it.

"Too bad, though you should know there's some for you anytime. Teas, cakes…other treats…" Clarissa winked and returned to her seat with a smile. Manny gaped at the woman as if she had doxies coming from out her ears. She shrugged. "People have told me I have peculiar taste…"

_I know Alastor's love life isn't the scariest thing we could ever discuss. _Lupin shivered slightly. _But it's territory I'd rather not enter, let's get back on topic. _"What was Aurelia's father like?" Lupin asked.

Clarissa laughed. "Yes, I knew I'd have fun with you lot! He's dead as well, long before you were even born. And you could say he had a thing for animals." At the last word she stared straight at Lupin.

_There's no way she should've known that! _Lupin stood up as Manny did, the hint worried the ex- Slytherin too.

"Oh! Don't go!" Clarissa cried. Manny headed for the door regardless. "You haven't gotten your answer yet!" Manny stopped. "Plus, you haven't met the other Enzos."

"I've heard of some." Moody told her. "I've heard enough about them, so tell us about Aurelia or we're gone."

"You all are asking for Aurelia?" A new, girlish voice questioned. The door Manny was headed towards opened. Lupin had to catch his breath at the sight of woman with a dazzling white smile. Her skin, unlike Niccoló's pallid color, was sun-kissed. Her hair was bright blonde, almost as white as Clarissa's. Her eyes were the same dark brown of all the Enzos but somehow the color was richer, deeper, and more beautiful on her.

_Hold on…_A fuchsia – haired woman smiled in Lupin's mind, it brought his spiraling thoughts away from the girl's looks and helped him focus on the girl's words. _Thankfully Tonks knows about veela charm already, so she won't kill me for ogling her. _

"Gentlemen, this is my niece Chiara Enzo." Clarissa introduced. The blonde did a perfect curtsey. "Chiara, Mister Moody…"

"And Mister Lupin." The girl nodded. "And my long lost family, Manuel Scott. It's nice to meet you." Manny grimaced at the girl, but the girl gave him a smile back. "Eufemia told me those were your names, have I mispronounced any?"

"N-No." Lupin stuttered. _So this Eufemia has to be a Seer, a Legilimens, or a spy – no one else could've known. _"Eufemia is your…"

"Sister." Chiara cheered.

"Half – sister." Clarissa corrected. The blonde deflated. "She's not a half – breed like yourself." The frown on Chiara's grew even further. Another Enzo had earned the werewolf's pity. "Where is Mia?"

"She headed to Non – _Mr. Enzo_'s room to tell him about your guests." Chiara's answered. "We were in the library when Nico came in growling about degenerates. You know…" Chiara glanced at her purple – painted toes. "Mr. Enzo will probably be upset if you're guests stay for too long."

"Ask me if I give a crap." Clarissa sounded even younger than Chiara with that comment. "The problem with you younglings is that you fear that old coot – tuo nonno, mio padre –" The girl gasped. "Yes, why he refuses to let us call him anything but Mr. Enzo beyond me. If there was any trait that bastard daughter of mine got, it was my cheek."

"I've got plenty of cheek from her too!" Manny whipped out his wand. Lupin inwardly cursed the man's recklessness, but grasped his own wand just in case. "So enough of your nonsense and enough of your stalling, _where is my mother_?"

Chiara shakily got out her wand but Moody blasted it out of her hand. "Just as well, you're cowardly self wouldn't have been much use to me anyways." The elderly woman scorned. "I'd feel a whole lot safer with my cute grandson over here." Said cute grandson focused only on his grandmother, so only Lupin heard the girl sniffle. "But since he's so insistent, he should know that the Death Eaters asked us to hold his mother for a week. We kept her in the cellar, in a cage."

_That's, that's not right…_Lupin was astounded once more. _Even Sirius's parents never shoved him in a cage like he was a Hippogriff at the zoo. _

"Go on." Moody ordered. Manny's jaw was clenched too tightly for him to speak. "What did she say while she was here?"

"Nothing useful, of course, that's what our esteemed patriarch wanted." The matron shrugged. "He went in there an hour each day, using the Cruciatus Curse and whatever else he thought the Dark Lord might use to get at her secrets. Besides screaming I didn't hear a word from her." Her smile was dry. "He might have actually thought he was helping her, preparing her for the Dark Lord's 'hospitality'. A woman named Yaxley –" Manny's body went rigid again " – she Apparated the two of them to one of the Death Eater strongholds, somewhere in Southern France I think she mentioned."

"And you just let her get taken?" Manny didn't wait for an answer from Clarissa. "_Confringo_!" The old woman was blasted across the room. He ran off.

"Zia!" Chiara ran to the woman's side, tears streaming her face. Lupin watched her shove the younger woman's hands away as she laughed. He forgot how to move until Moody tugged him out the door.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Lovely family, the Enzos. I had fun with this chapter since it's the first without Eva in it. You'll see her again either next chapter or the one after that but we definitely haven't seen the last of these guys.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Translations (Italian):<strong>

Niccoló:

"_Hai perso la mente?!_" = Have you lost your mind?!"

Clarissa:

"_- tuo nonno, mio padre -_" = " - your grandfather, my dad - "

Chiara:

_"Zia!" _= "Aunt!"


	11. The Palmers' New Plans

_The Palmers' New Plans_

Moody gulped back the Firewhiskey in his flask._ If there's anything that Barry Crouch Junior got right…_he thought to himself. He eyed the men's room. The wooden door was leaning out of its hinges. It was just like the rest of the dust-caked, slightly-slanting, nearly barren muggle inn he, Manny, and Lupin had entered after running out of the Enzo Manor. It wasn't five – star accommodations, the glass of beer Lupin sipped in front of Moody looked ecru rather than clear. But considering that they had to hex throngs of witches and wizards just to escape their last residence, the hotel was more than homey. _Speaking of home…_ Moody mused before asking: "How's Nymphadora?"

Lupin choked on his drink, he coughed it out. "Sorry," he said when he finally stopped. "It's just – you were so abrupt. Why are you asking about her all of sudden, and how would I know?"

Moody chuckled, his gut rumbled. "Come off it, the whole Order knows about you and her." The sudden bloom of pink on Lupin's scarred face only made the ex- Auror laugh more. "I'm surprised the werewolves you spied on before this didn't discover you."

Lupin swirled his half – finished alcohol in the mug. "Yeah, and I'm surprised the rest of the Marauders didn't find out about my lycanthropy sooner than they did." His laugh was dry. When Moody stared at him with his brown eye – his blue one was too busy jumping between the patrons and the exit – Lupin went on. "Her parents wouldn't approve."

"Andromeda and Ted are good people." Moody told him. "It's why they raised a good girl, albeit a hopelessly clumsy and often cheeky one."

Lupin grinned with pride, and then frowned. "They'd probably worry about their future grandchildren, not that they'd be wrong…"

"Thinking of breeding with her, Lupin?" Moody asked. "You hound."

Lupin snorted at that. "She's the one you brought it up!"

"Amongst other things I bet, like marriage." Moody guessed. Amber eyes growing to dinner plate size was all the confirmation Moody needed. "She proposed to you then, atta girl."

"I told her I needed to think about it." Lupin stared into his drink. "But soon after that Dumbledore asked me to help with this rescue mission."

_Bet he's been thinking all right, thinking of how he can let Nymphie down gently. _Moody shook his head. _Poor bloke still doesn't think he deserves a family._ "If you learnt anything from those Enzos, it's that not everyone takes after their folks. Could you imagine that Mouse acting like Niccoló, Clarissa?" 'Mouse' was their code word for Eva and despite the girl being a Parselmouth it was fitting enough in Moody's mind.

"The Enzos seem to attract strong magics don't they?" Lupin mused aloud, deftly dodging the subject. Moody rolled both eyes at that. "That one girl had a pretty strong Veela charm for someone who was only half."

_Or maybe she was working it extra hard for someone it particular. Is it the scars? The so – called 'wounded bird' appeal that makes these girls flock to him? I'll never get women. _As he thought that, his tea incident with Clarissa flashed in his mind. He shook his head again. _Never_.

"…And then you add Scott, plus the girl we never got to see, I think she's got an ability too." Lupin shrugged. "But I could be wrong."

"Better overestimate the enemy than underestimate, I say we assume Eufemia does." Moody waved over to Manny, finally out of the men's room. "We were talking about your kin."

"My Mum always tried to keep me and Carmen from knowing how crappy that side was." Manny grumbled. "I had to dig for awhile before I found out about the bat in 6th year."

"6th year?" Lupin repeated. "You've known for awhile!"

"I knew about Clarissa, not where the manor was, not that I didn't spend half of 6th year searching for her." Manny rubbed his head with one hand. "I was such an idiot back then. I only looked to see if I could prove to some Pureblooded duffers that I was from a distinguished line instead of just the son of a Half - Blood."

"What happened 7th year?" Lupin asked.

"Ceres." Manny smiled for the brief moment when the name was on his tongue. Just as quickly, his face went neutral. He reached into his robe and pulled out a paper.

_Ceres…Ceres Townsend, _Moody remembered the curly haired blonde with green eyes that sparkled while she gabbed with other Order of Phoenix members in the First War. _She was smart even amongst the Ravenclaws. She didn't take any nonsense from anyone – me included! She would have been a good fit for Scott. _

"I talked to Madame Maxine while you two ordered, and I just met with our French spy in there. He gave me this map." Manny started. "Meanwhile, the Beauxbatons' Headmistress told me that the French Ministry has heard whispers of a stronghold for Death Eaters off the coast of Antibes. But since the Aurors haven't found any proof to those rumors yet they didn't want to waste their wand – power on a wild goose chase. The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement there is being also obstructive. Some people think he's a You-Know-Who sympathizer. Either way if there was a group of pureblood zealouts under his nose, he'd lose a lot of support in his upcoming bid for Minister." He grinned. "Good thing we've got nothing to lose by checking it for ourselves."

* * *

><p>"Miss Palmer, can I speak to you for a moment?" Eva blinked. She looked at Su next to her but the Ravenclaw shrugged and offered to carry her things to the library for Eva. When Eva said no the Taiwanese girl smiled and told her she'd be in Madame Pince's domain if Eva needed her. Eva waved to Su as she left and then walked to the front of the class when Slughorn waited. He grinned and she gave a shy one back. "I must say, you and Miss Li made an excellent Babbling Beverage, it's quite the complicated potion for a sixth – year but I figured if anyone could make it, it'd be you and Mister Potter."<p>

"Um, well thank you Professor!" Her smile widened. A small part of her was confused at the bit with Harry. _For someone who complained so much about Potions before, he seems good at it. Then again, it might have been the Professor rather than the Potions giving his problems. _"But what about Su?"

"Yes, yes, she's rather good, although she has a habit of testing new ingredients instead of sticking to the formula when you're not her partner." Slughorn shook his head. "If she just stop having her experiments explode, she'd be doing a lot better in my class. But, this isn't about Miss Li, this is about you! You and your Uncle." Eva winced. "He was brilliant with his Potions too once he got a bit of tutoring. Are you hoping to take after him and be an Unspeakable?"

Eva looked down, the eager – chipmunk look the Professor had made guilt come over her. "No, not really." She glanced back to the Professor to see him, predictably, frown. "I was thinking about being having an Apothecary or maybe even being a Healer."

"Oh…oh!" Slughorn's cheerful tone returned. "I can see it! I can see a line of Palmer Apothecaries all throughout England, maybe through all of the United Kingdom." Eva gulped. "Or Eva Palmer, Concierge Healer, keeping our wealthiest wizards and witches in good health – my, you're much more ambitious than I expected you to be!" Eva shook her head. She opened her mouth to explain. "No, need to explain dear, I like it! It's good aim high! I have a feeling that we'll be hearing a lot about you after Hogwarts, mark my words. And of course you'll remember this dodgy old Professor right?"

"Of course Professor!" Eva said, and meant. "But I got the ideas from my Mum. She told me that before Muggles had modern medicine they sometimes used plants and herbs to help them get better. She says some still do."

"Ah, appealing to sources outside the Wizarding World too, impressive." He nodded. "You know dear, you have it better than some muggle – borns, being so privy to our kind by having a Sqiub mother and magical grandparents – I still can't believe you're Manuel's niece, not his daughter. I heard that he and his wife was expecting around the time you should've been born."

Eva sighed. "They were but Auntie Ceres died and the baby died with her."

"Oh, terrible, just terrible. Ceres was brilliant too, but she did have a bit of a temper. She was a bit like you, a Muggle – born, but the parents of two Muggle – borns, but when I mentioned I was surprised by her skill level for her kind, she got offended." The two of them had been walking and Slughorn finally stopped. "Not that I meant anything by it."

Eva gave him a small laugh. "I understand."

"Good!" Slughorn continued his stroll, catching up with the Hufflepuff. "After all, if I did mean anything, then I wouldn't be inviting you to my Christmas Party, now would I?"

"Christmas Party? Er, I don't know…" Eva began. "Is it at the castle? If it's not then I can't go." Reminding herself of the conversation Dumbledore had given her after the Feast made her tone deflate. Dumbledore told her that, for her safety, she couldn't stay with her great aunt for the holidays like she normally did. Learning that the Weasley's offered to have her over during Christmas took a little of the sting out of that painful news. However, the sting doubled over at the next tidbit: she couldn't be by herself in Hogsmeade, not that Su, Hannah, Susan, or Ernie minded when she explained Dumbledore's orders. They happily kept at her side during their trips. It was _her_ that minded_._ Eva often strolled by herself on those days, enjoying her time away from the buzzing castle. She liked it when it was just her and nature.

"Don't worry, I cleared it with Dumbledore, it'll be here – and it'll be before break so you can have your own Christmas plans. But I must say, a lot of important people will intend as well, some of them can make that Apothecary chain dream of yours come true –"

"Um, Professor –"

"– so put your best face and your best dress out. Oh, and mind who's on your arm too." He added, winking. Eva blushed. "The right date can make the right impression."

"Um, thank you, I will mind." Eva scurried out of the Potions room before the Professor could dig into her love life more. _Not that I have one. _She bemoaned herself. _Parties are one thing, dating is a whole other drama._


	12. The Palmer's Social Circle

_The Palmer's Social Circle_

Ginny was never one for makeup. She wisely stopped soliciting her elder brothers for advice on the subject of looks when she was seven and Fred turned her ginger locks into a lemony afro. Still, it wasn't like Aunt Muriel understood that Ginny's tomboyish nature wasn't a "phase", thus Ginny received lipsticks, powders, concealers, and other things of that nature for Christmases and Birthdays. Being the good niece, she didn't immediately chuck the "gifts" in the rubbish bin - in fact some of them she kept. One thing she was presently glad she kept was a mirror compact. She pretended to brush her freckled cheek while she stared into the mirror. She wasn't staring at herself.

A boy was staring at her. His skin was dark, his hair cropped a centimeter from his head, and his cheekbones were high. Around his neck was a green and silver tie._ What the hell have I done to warrant the oh-so-lovely Blaise Zabini's interest? _Suddenly Blaise looked up, ahead of Ginny. She blinked when she heard books tap on the table she was at. She closed her compact and looked up too.

Ginny grinned. "Still quiet as a mouse, huh Eva?"

"Sorry we're late Ginny." Eva smiled. There was a much louder plop from heavier books landing on the table from Ginny's left. Su beamed and took the seat next to Eva. "Slughorn asked me to stay a bit longer."

"Ugh," Ginny groaned. Early in the school year Slughorn had spotted her hexing hecklers at the castle. In retrospect she wished he'd done the responsible-professorly thing and simply take points from Gryffindor. "You didn't get drafted into that hob-nob with crusty old wizards Christmas party too?" Eva giggled, confirming the Weasley's suspicions. "Well, at least Dean and I can count on some sane people to be there then. With him, me, you, Harry, and Hermione - that's a five right there, woohoo."

"H-He's going?" Eva blushed. "Ah, well, I supposed that's good for him then. So, about that Charms homework..." Eva started to flip open her book but the Ravenclaw pulled _NEWT Level Charming _from her reach. "Su!"

"Ask him, ask him, ask him!" Su urged. "Were you really planning on another disaster with Zacharias Smith?"

Ginny remembered a sour faced Hufflepuff who earned the Twins ire last year at the Hog's Head and early this year as a Chaser who hounded her on the field. Either version of Smith didn't seem to mesh with Eva. "Why'd you put yourself through that?"

"It was for the Yule Ball," Eva shrugged. "I felt bad since I heard him complain in the Common Room that no one he asked said yes."

"Wonder why..." Ginny murmured. Su clicked her tongue and patted Eva's back.

"She's too sweet sometimes, poor dear." Su chided. "The first thing he said was that her dress made her hips look big!" Ginny's brown eyes grew wide. "Yes! Every bloke in the world besides him knows you don't say that! I'm surprised we lasted the two hours we stayed!"

_To think, before the ball I thought Neville would be the worst. _Another thought hit Ginny. "Your date wasn't upset you left that early Su?"

Su rolled her eyes. "He was such an arse! I don't really care if he did mind!" Ginny winced from the sudden volume jump. Eva sunk beneath the table, poorly hiding from the numerous eyes that locked on the three girls. Su smirked. Even the screech from Madame Pince condemning her loudness didn't wipe it from her face.

_Ooh, he's here isn't he? _Ginny realized.

"Blaise was a complete prick." She continued in her normal voice but everyone's attention was still on her. Their audience - even Ginny - swiveled their heads to the Slytherin. He paled, and scowled, and buried his face in his Potions book. "He asked me out but when we got there the first thing he did was ditch me for his Slytherin posse. I asked him to dance, brought him punch, but it was like talking to a wall for those two hours. Finally I asked him why'd he invited me if he was just going to ignore me the whole night? He told me, and I quote 'I thought you'd find something to entertain yourself. And you were the only Pureblood still unattached.'"

Murmurs, ones that couldn't be blocked by a book, surrounded the girls and Blaise. Finally he stood up and wordlessly walked out of the library.

Eva, who had been tugging at Su's sleeves the entire time, stopped and sighed. "You shouldn't push people like that, it could come back to haunt you." She warned.

Ginny grit her teeth, remembering the many, many times Malfoy had threatened to hurt her father using his own. That incident in second year, the one that still brought the occasional nightmare, was one ploy of Lucius that nearly worked. "Eva's right." She admitted, swallowing the lump in her throat down.

Su snorted. "Whatever, I wouldn't have started anything if he hadn't gawked at us when we came in. Creep..."

"He's a creep that's going to Slughorn's party too." Ginny told her. "He might cause trouble for me and Eva now."

Eva sighed. "I sure I'll be fine." She whispered. Ginny and Su rolled their eyes in tandem.

"Alright, alright - new plan then!" Su swung a hand around Eva's shoulder. "Forget Potter, I'll be your date and kept Blaise off your case for the night!"

"Thanks, really but...I need to 'woman up.'" Eva gave Ginny a small smile. "I think I'll end up asking Harry after all."

* * *

><p>Susan climbed out of her top bunk, her feet made no noise as she walked passed snoozing Eva. Susan strolled to Hannah's bed, the blonde still slept only in the bottom bunk even though the girl who used to be above her didn't come back to Hogwarts. <em>I hope Leia's parents at least let her write us soon. <em>She shook her messy plait of brown hair. _Don't get your hopes up Susie, if they didn't think Dumbledore could kept their kid safe, they aren't going to let some owl fly to and fro. Aunt Amy...Aunt Amy always said one stray owl could've killed a hidden family back in the First War. _

"Hannah! " Susan whispered. "Hannah! " The blonde grumbled. "I'm meeting with Ernie and Justin, it's about the DA."

Brown eyes snapped open. Hannah crawled out of bed.

The two Hufflepuffs tip-toed to the Common Room. A brunet boy was stoking the fireplace went they got there. "Morning girls. " He greeted. Soft tapping echoed from the boys' dorm entrance. "Ah, sorry I didn't wait for you Ernie. It's just...Smith! " A blond behind Ernie glared at him before plopping himself in the armchair farthest from the fire.

"Nice to see you too Justin. "

Susan mouthed "Zacharias?" to Ernie, she got a shrug from him in return.

Hannah sat in the second chair. "I've been talking to Su and Luna lately -"

"You're actually hanging out with that St. Mungo escapee?!" Zacharias griped. Susan rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming.

"Yes!" Hannah said. "She may be weird but she's really nice, and a DA member too!"

"Oi! You two quiet!" Ernie managed to be louder than both of them. "This is supposed to be secret meeting, remember?"

"What for?" Zacharias replied. "It's not like everyone doesn't know what we did last year."

Justin grumbled: "As much as I hate to say it, he's got a point, even the first-years know."

"They know we had a Defense against the Dark Arts club." Susan said. "They don't that we might rebuild it...and maybe they shouldn't."

"What?" Hannah cried. "Why not? Are you saying we can't even trust the first-years now? Who can we trust then?"

"I never said any of that." Susan shook her head. "But remember Harleen Eagleton? The first thing is did when she left here was join with You-Know-Who. Luna told me a lot of Ravenclaws are getting cagey. Su straight out said that she thinks some of them are about to join the Death Eaters just to keep themselves safe."

"Guess when the going gets tough the smart get going." Zacharias drawled.

"It not just them," Justin poked at the fire. "I heard a pair of seventh-year Gryffindor gushing about how cool it must be for Death Eaters to skulk around , battle Aurors, working for the most powerful Dark wizard in ages..."

"You should've told me about that!" Ernie exclaimed. "Or even McGonagall!"

"I did, and she told me she scolded them. They said they were joking." Justin stared at the floor. "Didn't sound like a joke to me."

"Imbeciles. " Ernie growled. Hannah slumped in her chair. "I almost wish You-Know...V-Vo-Voldemort…" The seated girl shivered. Justin, Susan and even Zacharias sucked in sharp breaths. "…would take them off our hands. "

"All the more reason we have to be just as discreet as last year - no, more discreet. We got caught last year when one girl snitched. So we have to agree now, only the best of the best get invited this time. No gossips or cowards or people still on the fence. Alright!?"

"What about Eva?" Hannah asked.

Ernie shook his head. "No, no, absolutely not. She's not a fighter, that's why we didn't tell her about it last time."

"But that was before this summer." Justin pointed out. "If the Death Eaters did to my family what they did to hers..." His hands became fists.

_Justin wasn't a fighter either. Not until Cedric's death. _Susan thought about the boy who was meek enough to hide from Harry Potter during second year. Now he was ready for blood. _If he's scared again then he's certainly masking it well. Not that would blame him or anyone here for being scared. Hufflepuff's got the most muggle-borns and Half-Bloods - the only Pureblood left in our year is Zacharias. We've got the most to lose. _

"I told Luna I'm going to restart the DA - with or without the Golden Trio - after Christmas break." Susan informed them. "When we come back then I'll ask again if anyone wants to back out."

"We'd never! - "

"Wait till January and see if you feel the same Ernie." Susan told him. "And we'll see how she feels by then too."

* * *

><p>Eva felt like her stomach was about to explode.<p>

She had gotten to a point where talking with Harry had become almost normal. Whenever they met in the halls they had easy conversations, mostly surrounding the one class they shared this year: Transfiguration. As long as they stuck to Transfiguration then Eva felt safe, comfortable in the friend zone since she hadn't expected to even get that far.

_This is so far from the friend zone. _She thought as Harry smiled, waved, and strolled in step with her.

"'Morning Eva." He greeted.

"Evening Harry!" She screamed. He blinked. "Um, sorry, morning I mean. How's things?"

"...good, actually. Especially since the breaks only a little while off."

"Got any plans for Christmas then?"

"I'm going with you Eva..." He stated. Eva nearly tripped over her own feet. "...to the Burrow. Remember? I bet Gertrude missed teasing us."He laughed. She laughed too, but instead of the airy, feminine one she aimed for it came out loud and jackal-like. People in the hall stared, Harry included. "Eva are you feeling alright? Your face is red."

"Oh I'm fine, very fine, super fine." Eva insisted. _I'm not fine at all, I rather be in Azkaban right now, at least Dementers don't gawk..._

"Oh!" Harry said. "I can't believe I forgot what Ginny told me. That explains everything!"

Eva gulped. "Um, I really was planning to tell you, I honestly was, it's just.."

"You were scared." He answered. Eva nodded. "There's no reason to be scared."

Eva looked up so fast her neck hurt. "R-Really?!" A smile bloomed on her face. "So, about the Christmas party –"

"Oh, it's no problem Eva." Harry told her. He patted her shoulder. "I'll keep an eye out for him. Don't worry!"

_Yes, yes, yes…wait, what? _"Him?" Eva asked.

Harry nodded. "The whole Tower heard about Su telling Blaise off, I was planning on going to Slughorn's party only to keep an eye on Malfoy actually." In her mental reeling, she almost didn't notice the way he spat the word "Malfoy," her sinking heart was a bit distracting. "They hang around the same circles. "

_No, no, no – you can't possibly be this dense! _Eva bapped her head against her Charms textbook.

"Eva?"

"Thank you Harry." She said with a sigh. Eva walked ahead of him.

"Eva, aren't we walking together?" Harry's call was ignored. "Eva, wait!"

_I – I can't believe I got my hopes up for nothing! _Eva groaned inwardly. In her stew of frustration she couldn't hear Harry speed up, coming after her. _I'm so embarrassed, I don't even think I could ask him out now, not unless I–_" As the idea came to her Eva stopped.

Harry caught up. "What as that all about?"

"I-I was just thinking," Eva started slowly, sweetly, deliberately. "Since you're watching Blaise for me, I should help you watch Malfoy, it's only fair."

A smile spread on his face. "That's more than fair! Ron and Hermione haven't listened to a word I said about him lately. I know he's up to something." Eva nodded. "If you catch something then they'll know it's not just me."

"Great." Eva smiled back, her heart skipped beats. "So, since we're turning this Slug Club thing into a scouting mission, maybe…" she was so nervous the next words were almost mute. "…maybe we should show up together, so anytime we meet up during the party, it'll just look like we're on a d-d-date."

"A date?" Harry asked. Eva shut her eyes tight and bobbed her head. "Hm…a date, huh?" She opened one yellow-brown eye. He wasn't looking at her, but ahead, which is probably why he hadn't commented on her odd behavior. "That's brilliant Eva."

She grinned. "Glad you think so Harry."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN**: Poor Eva, even a fake date is enough for her. Anyways, this chapter is a little-fillery but also has important bits. I hope Eva's behavoir towards the end isn't too left-field for anyone, I've always seen her perspective when she wants to be and over-perspective when she's doesn't (IE she reads a million things that aren't there). _

_Thanks for reading_


	13. The Palmers And Festivities

The Palmers And Festivities

The Slug Club's Christmas party wasn't what she expected, but that just made everything better. The Great Hall had been decorated with tinsel and lights and a grand tree stood where the professors usually sat at. She watched the roof, where snow gently fell and then looked at the crowd. She worried the boisterous Potions professor would've invited half the wizarding world but it had at most fifty people. Eva breathed out her nervous air. Fifty people Eva could deal with.

It helped that Harry held her hand. The link siphoned some warmth to her.

Thus Eva was full of confidence – usually a foreign feeling for her. She grinned to Harry. "You look nice tonight!" She told him.

"Wha?" He had been scanning the party guests too. He suddenly turned to Eva. "Oh...oh! Thanks, that's a nice dress." Eva felt her cheeks redden when he scanned her gold dress instead. His eyes caught his hand in hers and his own face flushed. "S-Sorry!" He unhooked their hands. "I didn't realized I did that, didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. "

Eva laughed. "It wasn't." _In fact, it was nice while it lasted..._

"Ah! There are my potion masters!" Slughorn boomed. He had a quartet of people trailing him. "I'm sure you all know the Boy Who Lived, no need to introduce the famous Harry Potter." Harry blushed brighter. "But this is Eva Palmer, future tycoon or soon–to–be world-renowned healer." Eva gave the crowd a half-smile.

_Fif__ty people ignoring me I can deal with, but..._Ten eyes started at her. She squirmed and kept her smile but inwardly she wanted to shrink. One dusty red pair widened at the site of her. The ashen skinned man smiled. _Huh?_

"You seem to always be swarming with famous friends Horace." A stunning witch in front of the smiler said. "Albeit none so young and...talented" She winked at Harry. He blinked and looked around as if it weren't obvious to Eva that the tan older woman was staring at him. "Tell me Harry, what year are you in again?"

"Now, now Sabrina. He's a year too young for you and your wiles." Slughorn's tone was light, joking, but the woman sighed. Mister Red-Eyes snickered. "Eva, Harry, meet Sabrina Zabini, philanthropist." Eva and Harry's eyes met for a second, green and yellowish transmitted the same shock. "The lady to her left is Emmeline Vance, a top-level Auror."

Harry's eyes lit up like emeralds. Eva giggled. _It's nice to see a star star-stuck for once._ Emmeline grinned at him and Eva. _Ah, it's one of the Order members who saved me! _Eva shook her hand heartily when Emmeline offered it. _It's a little strange pretending that we never met, but I suppose I can't exactly go blurting out _how_ we met…_

"And here's Reginald Riggs, creator of the Wit-Sharpening Potion – won him an Order of Merlin." The wizard blushed and waved at the two. "And finally, this man is –"

Before Horace could give introductions, the red – eyed man held up Eva's hand and kissed it. Eva gaped. "He's charmed to make your acquaintance Miss Palmer." When he spoke she noticed his canines and pulled her hand away. Harry made a small step forward, blocking her from him.

Sabrina huffed. "Now Curtis she's certainly too young for _your _wiles."

"I'm not interested in anything like that Zabini." Curtis turned to Slughorn. "Sorry, it's just that she reminds of a friend I asked to come. You're not mad about the extra guests are you Horace?"

Slughorn laughed. "The more the merrier." Suddenly he stopped. "Um, when you say guests, do you mean, your 'kind' of guests?"

"No, I mean your 'kind', humans." Curtis told him. Slughorn let out the breath he'd been holding. "They should've been here by now, would you excuse me for a moment? They might have gotten lost." Slughorn nodded. In a blink Curtis was gone.

"Vampires, half or not, they think they can get away with anything." Sabrina grumbled. "Why you invited him is beyond me."

"To be fair, you married one for two years, or was it two for a year each?" Reginald got a glare from the Italian woman, "Just putting it out there."

"He comes from philanthropists too, at least on his wizard father's side." The former Slytherin shrugged.

Emmeline patted Eva's shoulder. "You alright?"

Eva nodded. _But Su _definitely_ can't find out about that kiss. Next thing you know she'll gossip and spin it into some paranormal romance novel. _

"Oh, Miss Pond! Mister Williams!" Slughorn waved over to the wizard by the punchbowl. "You must meet my students! Come along you two!"

Rather than dancing on the dance floor, their Potion's Professor seemed to shove she and Harry around it, but rushing to and fro was equally exhausting. Eva was shuffled into famous witch after notable warlock barely having a moment to breathe between the bouts.

Despite that, Eva couldn't help but admit some of the people she met were interesting. They even expressed some interest in her. One elderly woman asked Eva if she thought about having an internship after Hogwarts. When the Hufflepuff shook her head the witch gave her a card just as Eva was whirled to the next guest by Slughorn.

"It could've been worse." Eva confessed to Harry, later when Horace had decided to take Ginny and a boy named Marcus Belby for a round of networking. Ginny gave Eva a pained look, Marcus shivered, but the sixth-year mouthed 'don't worry' to both younger students before they took off. Now she and Harry leaned on the food table. "I'm usually not good with people but everyone was so nice, it was easy."

"I've noticed that." Harry told her and then bit the leg off a gingerbread man. "You get nervous around people, but I don't get why though, you're nice enough."

Eva gulped a swig of eggnog, nearly choking on it. "Really?!" She said. Harry laughed. It took Eva a second to realize she had eggnog on her lip like a mustache. She wiped it off.

"Yes really! It's not all that shocking is it? And you're funny too!" He said. Eva was so flattered she could giggle at herself with him. "You're a great girl Eva."

"Thanks, and you're not too bad yourself Harry." She said. "I noticed how you stepped between me and that guy before and then I thought: even if you weren't 'the famous' Harry Potter, you'd still be you right? A bloke who wants to protect people – that's more that nice enough."

Harry turned red. "I guess..." He agreed bashfully. His green eyes averted her gaze. They froze and then they narrowed. "Oh no." His face turned stony. "Malfoy and Zabini walked in."

"Oh, right, them." Eva sipped her glass. "They're pretty late, that's odd."

"I'll try and find out why." Harry took three steps forward before halting. He turned to Eva. "Er, sorry, I'll be back in a moment."

"I remember our 'date' deal. I'll keep watch from over here then." He beamed at her before walking over. He stopped just behind the two Slytherin boys, neither noticed as Slughorn nearly shoved them into Reginald. _I wonder if Harry's right and there is something sinister with those two. _Her good mood wafted out as smoke. _Or maybe I'm just paranoid since Harleen. I'm being ridicious! It's not like all my classmates are waiting in the dark to tackle me!_

She felt fingers graze her ankle. Eva yelped and stomped. The table next to her yelped too.

Eva blinked. She lifted the white table cloth. Hermione was clutching her right hand, the right hand with an imprint of Eva's heel. "S-Sorry, um, didn't see you there Hermione."

"That was the point!" The Gryffindor girl snapped. She yanked the table cloth back from Eva and pulled it back down. A beat later, the table sighed. "Sorry, it's not you who I'm hiding from."

"Cormac?" Eva guessed. When Ginny told Eva that's who Hermione was taking, the ginger looked as though she swallowed one of her brothers' candies that made the eater puke. "I saw him talking to Auror Vance. Maybe he's interested in joining the Ministry."

Hermione snorted. "Yes, he plans to be the youngest Minister of Magic at 45. And he's going to pass all his NEWTs with Os and he completely deserved to be Beater because he's been going to Quidditch Camp since he was 13." Hermione groaned. "And I know all of this because he hasn't shut up about himself since the moment we left the Common Room, much less asked one thing about me!"

Eva glanced at Cormac and Emmeline, the latter tapped her foot beneath her dress robes. She smiled and nodded at the boy but her gray eyes drifted everywhere else but Cormac.

"Oh, Ron." Hermione murmured. "Did you have to be such a blithering idiot and kiss her?"

_I figured something was up with them! _Eva thought. _She and Ron would be cute though...__but I don't want to butt into others love lives. Lately it feels like everyone's decided to delve into mine! _

"Are you sure it's her?" Eva's ears perked up at the Italian-accented English. It wasn't like Sabrina Zabini's since hers was muddled with Received Pronunciation. It reminded Eva a bit of her grandmother's but it was much thicker. Regardless, it made Eva tear up. She wiped her eyes.

"Yes positive. She's the one." She knew that was Curtis even though she didn't see him. When the last drops of water left her eyes she opened them. As the half – vampire walked away he waved to a woman with creamy skin and a willowy shape. The woman locked her dark brown eyes on Eva. Her curtain of chocolate hair swayed behind her as she sauntered towards the Hufflepuff.

Eva held her breath, she stepped back. She clutched at the key necklace so hard the chain dug into her neck.

_She's Mum... _Eva thought. _Minus the eyes and the accent, she's just like Mum._

"So, you're Miss Palmer?" The woman told her. A lump grew in Eva's throat so she couldn't answer. "I don't know if you've heard of me, but my name is Eufemia Enzo."


	14. The Palmers' Holiday Duel

_The Palmers' Holiday Duel_

"Eufemia?" Eva sputtered the name out in bits. "Not Carmen?"

"No, ragazza." Eufemia said. "That woman does not exist anymore."

Eva shook her head and blinked, her mother's mirror image was still staring at her. Her chocolate brown eyes burrowed into Eva's skull. _I – I've just gone mad with grief – yes that's it! _She decided. _There's no way someone could look so much like her! I'm seeing things! _She glanced below, a pair of lighter eyes – Hermoine's – gaped at the Italian woman from below the table and shifted her eyes to Eva, and then back to Eufemia. _Does she see a resemblance? Then, that means it's not just me being mental! She's real! But how? Polyjuice? Metamorph-magic? But why would anyone want to look like Mum? _

"So you _are_ his niece."

Eufemia's statement managed to stop Eva's gushing stream of thoughts. "W-Who's?"

"The niece of Manuel Scott of course, you do not have any other uncles, do you?" The icy tone made Eva shiver. Eufemia noticed and gave her a thin smile. "He came to my house a little while ago and mentioned you."

_How…how could I ever think she was my mother? _Eva mused with a sinking heart. _The body is the same but her tone, her gestures, they're all too cold to be Mum's...and she has to be lying! Uncle Manny's been running around with Professor Lupin and Professor Moody. Since he was worried I'd tell there's no way he'd blither about me to some lady._

"Have you seen him since the summer ended?" Eufemia asked. Eva jumped and nearly stepped on Hermione again. "That was the last time we spoke. He told me I looked like a sister he lost. You seemed to resemble her too."

"U-Uh, yeah." Eva said. _That was a bit convenient. _"And no, he's off doing Unspeakable work and stuff."

"Interesting story…" Eufemia circled her. Eva moved back, leaning on the snack table to get as much space from the woman as she could. "But he did not tell you about me or our family at all?"

Eva shook her head. "Sorry."

Eufemia gripped Eva's arm. "That cannot be true." The woman growled. Eva swallowed. "Did he want you to die then?"

_D-Die?!_ Eva's panic turned to strength. She snatched her arm away and ran.

* * *

><p>A girl with bushy brown hair hurried out of the table and followed her unwitting relative. Eufemia snorted. <em>Hermione Granger, confidant of the Chosen One, girl who hides from dates under the snack table. Clearly Potter is in good hands. <em>

"La donna mia." A man, one of her men, whispered. "Abbiamo le otre nel castello e Dumbledore é assente."

Eufemia nodded. "Due fannosangui morti faranno 'colui che non deve essere nominato' felice. Noi abbiamo bisogno di lui felice con noi famglia. Lo Manda."

The man grinned and left her.

* * *

><p>Eva sniffled. She sat on a black table in the middle of the quiet and empty Potion's Classroom with Hermione standing at her side. When her nose wasn't too stuffed to smell anything there was only the slightly-smoky aroma of last week's fire-based potions – Slughorn incidentally left his cabinet just as open as his door, which is why Eva hid inside it. Hermione waved her wand and produced another set of tissues, she managed to make the Hufflepuff happier and sadder at the same time. On the happy side, she felt touched that Hermione was helping her even if they weren't too close. On the sad side, well, she shouldn't be helping her in the first place because Eva didn't even think she should be crying.<p>

But tears poured out and snot trickled down. _I must look like a mess…and a fool. Did I have to run out? _She thought as she dapped her moist face. _Why didn't I just tell her to leave me alone? Or tell Professor Slughorn or Auror Vance or even Harry that Eufemia was bothering me? Why did I have to end up crying again?_ She looked at the soaked tissue. _Why did she have to look like Mum?_

Eva blinked the rest of the water from her eyes. She sucked in a sharp breath. _If she didn't look like Mum I might've ran or screamed when the interrogation about Uncle Manny started…but it seems like she really does know him. And he's supposed to know her – along with the family she mentioned too. _Eva released her breath. _The Palmers are family of Parselmouths, have a Pureblood grandmum with a troubled past, and I never really questioned anything. I just knew my family was my family and brushed the oddities aside for peace's sake, but should I have? Maybe I should've asked Grandmum more things. Would they still be alive if – _She couldn't finish the thought without her eyes leaking again.

"S-Sorry Hermione." Eva told the witch at her side. "Go back to the party and have fun, I-I'll be f-fine."

Hermione smiled and handed her a third tissue. "I'm not dumb Eva – nor am I deaf. The Enzo woman was scaring you."

"If she had eyes like mine, then she'd be – she'd look just like my Mum." Eva heard the Gryffindor gasp. "I don't understand it. I don't know what on Earth is going on. I haven't known anything that's been going on since fifth year ended – maybe even beyond that and I –"

"I get it." Hermione sat next to her on the table. "It's alright Eva. I get it."

"But you –"

"Alright, I haven't had my late relative's doppelganger threaten me, so don't get it completely. But I understand what it's like to feel like everything you thought you knew was washed away in an instant. How do you think I felt first year?"

"But I heard stories about you from Harry and Ginny." Eva said. "You always seemed to know the right spell or the right wizard or the right something to save the day."

Hermione laughed. "I guess it came across that way." She sighed. "But I was raised by two muggles, and they were raised to think that magic is nonsense. When that letter came I was the first to call it a hoax actually. I told the wizard who came to explain that he was a cheap magician using slight-of-hand." Eva snickered too. "Naturally when I saw him turn our houseplants into a flock of doves I felt quite embarrassed." Hermione's cheeks grew pink tints. "It's actually a bit embarrassing still."

"Well, it's understandable."

"Once I believe of course, I buried myself into every wizard book I could get my hands on. Every second that I wasn't eating or sleeping, I was reading." Hermione confessed. "But the main reason was because I was scared."

"Scared?"

"I really do love studying, but it's more like something I grew to love. I worried that I'd be a step behind everyone, being that they came from wizards and witches and all. Before then, I just didn't want to be left behind or lost." Hermione giggled. "Ironically enough, trying to show how much I knew nearly backfired and left me alone with a nasty troll." Her next laugh was strained, sad. "Not knowing what to do, not knowing how to feel or how someone's feeling, that's the worst."

Eva stared, she wondered if she should hand the unused tissue back since Hermione sounded a breath away from crying herself.

But she didn't have a chance to decide, as the creaking door distracted both girls from their sadness.

"Donna pazza." Some boy murmured. Eva didn't know much Italian but she could recognize "crazy lady" - her Grandmum proudly referred to herself as such often enough. It was too dark to see the speaker.

Hermione whipped out her wand and pointed to the door. "_Lumos._"

Niccoló shrank back when the light shined in his brown eyes. "Damn it!" He screeched. "_Crucio_!" His spell hit Eva.

Eva dropped to knees, her insides seemed to twist and rattle. Her brain seemed to pound against her skull. Her skin felt enflamed.

"Eva!" Hermione cried but the Hufflepuff didn't heard her. It hurt when she opened her eyes but when she did she saw Hermione cast a red spell. The boy blocked it and the spell bounced to a flask that exploded on impact. He shot another Cruciatus Curse at Hermione. She ran and it zipped past her, only lopping off some strands of brown curls.

"I don't see why I have to put up with this!" Niccoló whined. The pain had subsided enough that Eva could shakily sit up. He glared at her and pointed his wand, a green light tipped it. "You should've just died already! Ad-"

Hermione casted a purple spell. It hit the Italian in the chest and he winced, sliding back a few feet. The Gryffindor began helping Eva up.

"You're amazing Hermione. " Eva breathed.

"Not always," She admitted with bated breath. "Fighting's not my thing. You go and tell - ah!" Eva gaped at Hermione's now bleeding arm. The Gryffindor shoved her Hufflepuff friend aside and brought up her wand again. "_Petrificus To_-"

"_Flipendo_!" Hermione and Eva were rocketed off their feet and towards the wall. The cabinet of potions they landed on crumbled to sawdust and splinters.

Eva got up from the pile first. She coughed out the smog that entered her lungs. _Ah, one of the bottles must've broken. This looks like the Instant Smoke Filler. _She dug around, trying to find Hermione in the wreckage, and found another bottle instead. _This smells like the Firework Sprouter we made - this one you simply shake and literally wait for the' boom.' _

"Filthy, cowardly Mudbloods." Niccoló growled. "Where are you Palmer?"

Eva shook, in her hand the potion jittered. _Who is he?_ A grunt and rubble shuttering signaled that Hermione was up, If barely. Footsteps clicked closer to them_. No! _She threw the potion in her left. It crashed and cackled. She heard whistles and saw faint light jn the distance. The feet clacked towards the noise.

"Are you alright? " Hermione murmured. Eva nodded. "Let's leave while he's distracted." With wordless agreement the girls crept while hearing Niccoló hex anything and everything around the area Eva tossed her bottle.

With a gentle tug the Potions door shut closed.

"You two!"

Eva and Hermione turned to Harry's voice. Ginny, Dean, Professor Slughorn, and Auror Vance were a step behind him.

_No Cormac, is he still at the party? _Eva wondered. Ginny embraced she and Hermione in a tight hug. "What are you all doing here?"

"We could ask you the same thing, sneaking away when none of us were watching, you, Miss Palmer, should know better." Vance's harsh tone made Eva stare at the floor. She looked when the woman patted her head. "Though, I should know better than to let a charge get away."

"Charge?." Hermione asked.

Slughorn nodded. "Dumbledore asked her to come. He knew he was going to be out and wanted another set of eyes on the party." He sighed. "And good thing he did ask her – there was a Dark Witch that slipped in."

"The fight was wicked!" Dean's eyes sparkled when he spoke. "Vance made her back-flip and land on the table! The other witch turned the appetizers into poisonous giant spiders and they crawled over the guests and - without looking back Ginny flicked Dean's chest. "Ow - er, yeah, but she escaped through here."

"You're both hurt." Harry noticed.

"T-There's a boy our age in there, he attacked us." Eva mumbled. Vance grew rigid as she did. "I don't know why but -"

Without another word the blonde Auror opened the door. Thick smog tumbled into the hallway. "_Revealus_." The foggy air cleared. The room was empty.

"But." Eva started. "But he was here!"

"I believe you." Harry and Vance said it at the same time but Eva thought that Harry said it first.

"It might have been her nephew." Vance said. She turned on her heel. "Dumbledore needs to know to, him and Scott."

* * *

><p>"So that's why you left." Harry nodded once Eva recapped about Eufemia and Niccoló. "When Blaise told me you were gone I looked everywhere at the party for you."<p>

"I still can't believe it was Blaise that warned you!" Eva exclaimed.

"Well, it wasn't like he was trying to help." Dean informed her. He had his arm around Ginny's waist as they walked to the Gryffindor common room. "Harry and Malfoy were about to duel right then and there when Zabini came and commented that he should pay less attention to them and focus more on his missing date."

"Even arses can save the day I guess." Ginny shrugged. "When none of us could find you or Hermione we told the Professor. That's about the same time the Dark Witch attacked."

At the portraits Hermione gave the password - Eva covered her ears despite the Gryffindors insisting they didn't care if she heard - and the door opened. Hermione muttered goodnight to everyone and entered. Dean pecked Ginny on the lips before following the brunette, waving as he did, Ginny gave the Hufflepuff one final hug and walked into the common room with a yawn.

"G'night Harry." It took all Eva had in her to smile. "Despite everything, it started as a really nice date."

Harry looked to the closing portrait door, then to Eva, and back again, finally setting on her. "I'll wait with you till Auror Vance comes over to walk you back. I already left you once tonight."

"That wasn't-"

"My fault?" Harry snorted. "Maybe I didn't tell those dark wizards to attack you but I didn't stop you from running off." He stared at the floor. "It's not the first time someone got hurt because I was busy fixating. Sorry."

"It's..." Eva's heart skipped every other beat. The space between them was the smallest it had been the whole night. "It's fine." When she scooted in even closer, she checked for a reaction. Harry blinked but didn't back away or tell her to move. That simply made her blush more.

"Somehow, this probably wasn't my worst date either." Harry told her. "The one with Cho was a mess from beginning to end - but that was mostly my fault too."

Eva didn't remember what else he said, her heart was too loud. She kept staring at his eyes, bright emerald green. They shined behind his glasses. His smile shined to her too, it seemed to draw her in.

Before she could stop herself, Eva kissed him.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Translations (Italian):<strong>

Man:

"_La donna mia. Abbiamo le otre nel castello e Dumbledore é assente._" = "My lady. We have the others in the castle and Dumbledore is absent."

Eufemia:

"_Due fannosangui morti faranno 'colui che non deve essere nominato' felice. Noi abbiamo bisogno di lui felice con noi famglia. Lo Manda._" = "Two mud-bloods dead will make 'he who must not be named' happy. We need him happy with our family. Send him."


	15. The Palmers' Sea-bound Vacation

_The Palmers' Sea-bound Vacation_

Manny wanted to hold his breath. Salt still hung in the air around him. Yet, considering the Bubble-Head charm they were using was delicate at best, he knew he should swallow as much of the sea-tinged air as he could.

Antibes was warm for winter, or at least compared to chilly England. The three men had come at sunrise when a golden glow coated the French city.

Manny sniffed when he first saw it. Why should a place crawling with Death Eaters look so nice?

The trio met up with Madame Maxine as soon as they arrived, the latter forgetting that she hadn't told 'Moody' about the Death Eater rising two years ago. She apologized and recapped what she had discovered: Voldemort's followers had been nipping at France since the Dark Lord returned. Not many fell for their promises, threats, and intimidation – but enough of the older Purebloods and Ministry people did. At the moment, scandal and infighting was keeping their Ministry from actively helping against Voldemort.

However, it hadn't stopped the _Exécution Voyante _from running a story about Death Eater sightings in Antibes. The Order's French allies decided to search the area. They were a breath away from declaring the story false only meant for fear-mongering when Maxine discovered a broken wand. She casted _Priori Incantatem _on it and found that the Killing Curse was the last spell it cast.

The wand belonged to no French Auror nor any convicted wizard sitting in Cage à Oiseaux, the closet prison around.

Thus Manny, Lupin, Moody, and Maxine stopped at the rocky beach where the wand was found. It seemed like only endless sea was in the distance. Waves crashed and grazed their feet.

However, what seemed true with magic was hardly true itself so they all applied their bubble magic and dove in.

Maxine, whether thanks to the longer limbs or simply more experience with water, swam ahead of the boys. Lupin and Moody trailed behind Manny. Manny looked back, and snorted. The ex-Auror's spinning eye looked even more ridiculous and glassy underwater, like a pouting puppy's.

With a grunt, Moody told Manny to stop gawking and swim.

They traveled beneath teal waves but there was nothing in sight save sea fauna and small schools of fish. They came up after twenty minutes of fruitless searching.

"Somezing is 'ere!" Maxine declared once they sat on the shore. "I am sure of it!"

"Madame Maxine, the wand might have been dropped here while the killer attacked somewhere else." Lupin told her. The half-giant narrowed her eyes. "It could've been an accident or even on purpose to side-track Aurors."

"I'm with him." Moody grunted. "They wouldn't have picked a place too close to the shore where any wizard or muggle to get close to."

Manny was about to agree with the two men but then a thought hit him. "Madame, can I see the wand you found?"

The woman nodded. She flicked her wand and a second one appeared. The cockatrice core was visible where the wand was snapped. It was cypress wood, 6 inches, but the ruby-encrusted tip made his yellowish eyes widened.

"It's got to be hers." Manny muttered. "Charmaine Yaxley I mean."

"How do you know?" Lupin asked. "You remember it from dueling with her?"

Manny snorted. "No, but she always liked this gaudy shit in school. And she bragged about her stupid wand wood. 'Ooh, cypress is for nobility! Everyone calls me a princess so it fits!' Blah, blah."

Maxine snorted. "Sounds like you were close."

Moody laughed at that. "They have some sort of relation. Don't they?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if she volunteered to keep your Mum." Lupin said. He stared at the rocky floor. "This is personal to her. It's like Bellatrix and the Black 'blood-traitors'. She wants to be the one to 'purge' her family…"

Manny grimaced. He couldn't say the werewolf had no reason to be worried. He lost his best friend a couple months ago and his almost-fiancée's family was the next Blacks down the line. "All the more reason to check one last time."

Lupin mulled it over but slowly nodded. Moody grumbled. "Well if I'm outvoted…"

The quartet jumped back into the warm waters. They swam further. With a little hope in his system Manny managed to keep up with Maxine now.

So when she saw the giant gray dome in the distance, he did too.

The half-giant signaled for Moody and Lupin to come closer. The four of them reach the dome at the same time. It looked as if someone had made a toy fortress, put in a bottle and stretched out the size thirty times over.

While the rest of them were stunned Moody put a Disillusionment Charm over all of them. Just in time, as a gray masked, black-hooded man walked out of the entrance. He murmured two spells: one to change his upper half into a shark's, the other to slice a hole in the barrier. Only a little water spilled in before the Death Eater left and the breach healed itself. The water drained out instantly.

Moody cast a silent spell. Another gap breached the barrier. Manny, Lupin, and a crouching Maxine poured in with the water before Moody ran in himself and sealed the shield.

Manny grinned as he popped his Bubble-Head Charm, and then he frowned. "It still smells terrible."

"If you aren't quiet the Death Eaters will make sure you don't have to breathe anymore." Lupin said.

"Both of you, quiet!" Moody whispered. "We're in enemy lands and there's no back up if we get caught. Constance vigilance."

"He said shockingly…" Manny muttered. They tip-toed around the fortress, from how water logged it looked he figured that they had just refurbished it. They froze and clung against eroded walls whenever wizards and witches pasted them by.

"We should go lower." Lupin suggested. "People usually keep prisoners out of sight and away from any exits. Do you lot think this place has a dungeon?"

"It would not surprise me." Maxine told him. "'E-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is much like, 'ow do you say, 'Bond villain?'"

Manny blinked. "What?"

"James Bond, it's a muggle thing." Moody told him. "And more than that, Voldemort seems to be a bit more unhinged nowadays." They glimpsed at an earthen stairwell. The icy blue eye scanned the floor below before he let the others follow him down. "You all had to have noticed. The First War he seemed sharper, his plans were precise and simple – he could certainly kill a teenage wizard whenever he wanted. Potter told me the night he arose he ordered his Death Eaters to stay back. He laughed and toyed with Potter. Not that I mind. If he weren't acting like a nutter then I'd still be in a chest. But, he's losing it, he's losing himself…"

Manny nodded, but he only half-heard the elder man's rant. He was more wrapped up in the surroundings. The Charm they cast was fading but it was damper and darker the further down they went that Manny could hardly see his companions anyways. On the final floor they her whispers, groans, whimpers. Lupin ran up to the first cage they saw. He cast Lumos and peered through the dark cage. Tiny, ashen hands slowly reached out to werewolf's scarred ones.

"Monsieur." The boyish voice said. He was almost mute. "Vous êtes ici pour nous tuer?"

Maxine gasped. She shoved Lupin back. "Evadez-vous, mon enfant." She ordered, the hands moved away. "_Diffindo._"

The bars were hack clean though. The half-giant pulled out a bone-thin, blood smeared child. "Qui êtes-vous?"

"We're here to help." Lupin said. Despite not speaking English, his now-visible smile made the young boy gain a faint grin. "How many others do you see Alastor?"

"At least fifty." Moody growled. He and Manny broke the cages of the other prisoners. The man with mismatched eyes scowled. "Some of them I've seen in the Prophet. They're Aurors, politicians, and their children. Others I don't recognize, they might be unlucky muggle-borns."

"I am one." The girl, the one next to Manny said. Her English was thick but understandable. She was at most nine. "A muggle – born that is. They came to my house and took me and my Maman. She…she stopped them from hurting me for as long she c-c-could." The girl sniffled. Tears fell. "B-But she…she is…"

"Alastor, we 'ave to get them out!" Maxine said. "Let us go, now!"

"Wait!" Manny said. "But my Mum isn't here! And we haven't seen Yaxley!"

"Um…" The girl interrupted again. She rubbed her wet eyes. "Some of the prisoners are being held at the dinning room, at least that is what the Mask Men said." She shuttered when she spoke again. "They said those are 'special' guests of the Dark Lord."

Manny stiffened. "Mum…"

"She is one person, no? We will come back for 'er." Maxine said. "Zese people need 'elp now."

"She's my Mum!" Manny snarled. "She's probably in worse shape than any of them!"

"We can divide and conquer." Lupin suggested. "Moody and Maxine, they can get the prisoners out. You and I can head up and check for Aurelia."

Manny nodded. Without another word he tugged the werewolf by the shoulder and ran back up the stairs. The Dillusionment was completely gone now but it didn't matter much to Manny. He didn't bother with stealth anymore, simply stunning whichever Dark wizard cottoned on to him. The loud boom, no doubt a distraction curtsey of Mad-Eye Moody so Maxine could get the prisoners out, helped matters. Most Death Eaters ignored Manny and Lupin, running towards the noise instead.

They reached the room at the top. It looked like a simple dinning room. A view of the sea around them in front of a nice table in the center. Lit candles adorned the table just as well as the perfectly placed silverware next to tall wine glasses.

If he ignored the caged people in the corners of the room, Manny might have forgotten that he was in a Dark Wizard's base.

"That's her isn't it?" Lupin asked. Manny looked at the far right of the room. A woman with brown and white-streaked hair laid still on the floor. Her tattered robes were stiff from dried blood. Her beige skin was burned brown and bruised purple in many places. "Aurelia Scott."

Manny walked over, he knelt before the cage. "Mum." The old woman frowned in her sleep. "Mum, it's Manuel. We're getting you out of here."

"Scott look–" Before the werewolf could finish Manny was up in the air. He writhed and twisted until he could at least see who had cast the spell.

"What were you expecting when you came here, Half-blood filth? We're you hoping for a kiss?" Yaxley sneered from below. "By the way, like my new wand? Killing you will be a nice way to break it in."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Some vacation. I wasn't going to put Maxine in here but I figured, why not? Plus, she seems to be a bit adventurous seeing as she and Hagrid hung out with the Giants for so long.

That line of reasoning also explains why the Death Eaters thought they'd need an underwater hideout ~ I didn't want to do another spooky manor. Those are so played out, lol.

Also, when Moody's referring to the Cemetery scene in _Goblet of Fire _I'm picturing more of the movie scene than the book's version. 1) Voldemort's more wacky and hammy, which fits into my story nicely. 2) It was kinda more interesting IMO

If the French is off please don't be afraid to tell me. ^^

Thanks for reading.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Translations (French)<strong>:

Boy:

"_Monsieur. Vous êtes ici pour nous tuer?_" = "Sir. Are you here to kill us?"

"_Qui êtes-vous?_" = "Who are you?"

Madame Maxine:

"_Evadez-vous, mon enfant._" = "Get away, my child."


	16. Palmers In Hot Water

_Palmers In Hot Water_

Manny let asinking, tightening feeling come over him. It started from his navel and spread outward. With a pop he was out of the air, with another he was on the floor in a crouch. A few of his fingers felt achy and wet, he figured that he had spliced a few nails off but it was worth it.

"Get her out." He mouthed to Lupin, who had already begun charming the cage's lock. Manny then looked at a livid Yaxley. He sneered. "Covered with red crystals at the hilt, just as ghastly as your first one."

"_Pyre!_" She hissed. A whip of fire spewed from her wand. Manny side stepped it but his ponytail was singed. "Wait till he gets here, wait till he gets here…" She echoed the phrase again and again while she tried to strike him again and again.

"_Oppugno!_" Manny cast. Five hawks zipped to Yaxley. She turned her whip on the birds, slicing clean through them. "_Glacius!_" A trail of ice grew along the fire streaming out of the Death Eater's wand, consuming it.

"Clever, clever." Yaxley muttered. "You think you're so clever, even sweet little Ceres thought you were so clever. Too bad it didn't save her."

Manny glared. His jaw tightened. "Don't let her anger you!" Lupin warned as he got a second cage open. "She's just trying to –"

"_Flipendo!" _Yaxley toppled both men off their feet, Lupin into the cage and Manny into the window. He left faint cracks in it. Manny groaned as he stood up and shook off tiny glass chips. "_Flipen –_"

"_Carpe Retractum_!" Manny cried. Yaxley caught her own breath as was dragged to the ex-Slytherin. "_Alarte Ascendare_!" The woman suddenly rocketed to the roof. Her skull bounced on the stone ceiling before she plummeted to the floor.

The ceiling had also gained cracks, Manny noted.

"Are you alright? Can you walk?" Lupin asked. Manny was about to gruffly answer him when he turned and realized the werewolf was talking to a young man, the fourth prisoner. "Scott, everyone but your Mum is up. She's breathing but hurt bad. You'll have to carry her out."

"Fine." He agreed. He gingerly hefted the waifish grandmother on his back. Yaxley groaned and clutched her head. "Shit!" Manny ran out of the room without another word, Lupin and the other prisoners were ahead, they were slowly but surely speeding out of sight.

"_Petri_…" Yaxley moaned. "_Petrificus Totalus_."

Manny tumbled instantly. His mother fell off his rigid body and rolled to the ground.

His heart beat faster and his chest thumped ceastlessly but try as he might he could get nothing else in him to move. He couldn't even open his mouth to call Lupin back.

If he could move he would've recoiled when Yaxley, with a sneer on her dusky honey face, locked eyes with him.

"Heh, you look as helpless now as you did when Ceres died." She cooed. She picked up his wand. "My poor Ceres. She chose to tie herself with you, a filthy mutt too loud for his own good." She giggled. "You know what dear, all us Purebloods could smell you from a mile away. Too passionate, too careless, too wrapped up in yourself and your loved ones – your love actually made them targets!" Manny wanted to kick and scream, even if it would've proved her point nicely. "Sure you had drive, determination, if you weren't so stupid you could've been use to us. You could've brought her to us." Her tone turned somber. "Ceres would be alive, happy, if she was with us."

Manny's thoughts screeched. Over and over railing: _how dare she? _

But, a small part of him, curled in his heart, ached. Ceres might be happy and alive if it weren't for Manny. That was all he wanted for her.

Yaxley seethed for a moment. She glanced at her wand arm. "Oh…" she breathed. "He's here! he's here!" With another flick of her wand Manny was floating straight up again. "Scott, I'd like to introduce you to the most powerful wizard who's ever lived!"

That made all pain and anger drain out of him, fear was left.

In a haze of smoke a cloaked wizard appeared. Bony fingers lifted the hood. The hairless, too round face was pierced by sharp red eyes. The pupils were thin, snake-like. He stared at Manny and slowly gained a half-smile.

"Welcome, Manuel Scott." Voldemort drawled. "I'd introduce myself but I'm sure you've heard of me by now."

Manny wanted to claw his way out of his skin. The Dark Lord was the last person in the world he wanted to come face to face with. Albeit, most wizards _thought _they would feel the same but they lacked the inky, icy dread Manny felt now. Now that Voldemort had caught him, it was all over.

"Well done, Yaxley." Voldemort said. Yaxley curtsied. "I was just growing weary of his mother's silence but maybe he will be a bit more forthcoming." Voldemort walked closer till he and Manny were inches apart. The unhumaness of his face was even more revolting for Manny up close. "She would tell her son the secret, I'm sure."

In an instant the scene fell away.

_Manny watched himself give Eva her birthday gift. Her smile that glowed in the sunrise melted his heart the second time just as much as it had the first. He had her hand on her shoulder and he had to plead with himself to let her go. He didn't want to but he had to._

_He watched himself set Harleen Eagleton on fire. Her ebony robes turned red as Eva ran towards him. Sparks spewing from her wand as she shielded him._

_He watched himself talking to Carmen about Voldemort's Ministry attack. Her peach face losing shades of color. Her golden-brown eyes watering with tears. Albert leapt from his seat. He held his wife, cooing to her that it'd be alright. They were safe and she shouldn't cry. Manny could help but sniff himself. The Palmers were not alright or safe, they were dead._

_His heart froze when he saw Ceres on the ground. She was lying in her nightgown that showed off her swollen belly. She almost looked asleep but Manny knew as he touched her cold hands -_

Voldemort snarled. Manny was back in the underground hideout. Aurelia jumped off the ground and socked the Dark Lord. Yaxley gasped, stunned with awe. As he stumbled back Aurelia snatched something off Voldemort's neck and ripped Manny's wand from Yaxley's limp hands.

"_Cruico!"_ Voldemort hissed. The spell hit her and Aurelia bit down on her lip until it bled. Yaxley cast another blasting spell that knocked the woman through the wall and into the next room. "What were you thinking?!" He snapped at Yaxley, he shrank back. "She has it! Why did you push her aside?!"

Yaxley stuttered off answers before her head was hit by a red spell. It ballooned so badly she tipped over. Manny felt his body turn limp and his feet hit the ground. Voldemort raised his wand.

"_E-E-Expelliarmus_!" Aurelia croaked. She limped out of the rubble. The wand fell from the Dark Lord's hand. "Don't touch my son."

Manny ran to his mother's side to hold her up while Voldemort cackled. "Oh, love." He scorned. "If I have to hear another speech about love and love's power it'll be to soon." He picked up his wand. "But tell me something Aurelia? This place is filled with wizards who fear me. And they themselves are feared by the entire Wizarding World. Which do you think is stronger, hm? My army of fear or you and your love?"

Manny looked to Aurelia. "Mum, give me the wand. You're hurt."

Aurelia looked to Manny. She rolled her the eye that wasn't hidden by her hair. "_Duro!_" She cast the spell at the door. The entrance was filled with stone. Voldemort laughed more.

"You've gone mad!" He said between laughs. "The Death Eaters could break that faulty wall in an instant!"

"Vero_._" Aurelia laughed mirthlessly herself. "I've been here awhile, the walls are so faulty." She pointed her wand to the window. "_Expulso_!"

The window exploded. Manny caught his mother's logic and carried the two of them out.

She handed him his wand back as they fell from the building. "_Arresto Momentum_!" The slowed and as they touched the sea floor they ran.

From above green hexes shot at them. They dodge each other. Voldemort apparated at the magic dome's edge. "_Ava –_"

"_Deprimo!_" Manny ripped a hole in the shield. Voldemort disappeared just as the water was about to crash over him. The Scotts held each other tight as they swam against the current and up to the surface.

At the sight of the coast with Moody, Lupin, Maxine, and dozens of freed prisoners, Manny and Aurelia grinned before wading to them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Short but sweet ^^ Originally this chapter and chapter 15 were going to be one but I - of course - get a writer's block halfway through.

Those wondering about Harry and Eva, don't worry. The aftermath of their little incident is next! ^^

**Edit: **Since I was asked about the Enzo-Scott-Palmer Family Tree, I'll try to simplify it a bit:

Clarissa is Aurelia's mother, Manny's grandmother, and Eva's great-grandmother

Chiara, Eufemia, and Niccoló's (late) dad are Aurelia's cousins (Clarissa's brother was their father), Manny's first cousins once removed, and Eva's first cousins twice removed

Niccoló is Aurelia's first cousin once removed, Manny's second cousin, and Eva's second cousin once removed

Just your average, happy family, lol.


	17. The Palmers Stay Together

_The Palmers Stay Together_

Eva had planned to let last night's events stay mum. She planned to mull about her actions, and the actions of these strange 'Enzos,' in silence. There was no reason to panic her friends. There was no need to excite Su by letting on how the night ended. Eva told herself that nothing would make her talk. Nothing.

As she hefted her suitcase into the Great Hall, trying to disappear in the crowd of chatting students, Su caught her eyes. The Tawainese girl dragged two heavy cases with ease while she walked to the Hufflepuff. "Eva!" Su cried. "I know everything!"

Eva gaped. "Who told you about me kissing Harry?!"

Su halted at that. "Alright, maybe I don't know everything..." Su continued her pace. "But I know the dark witch that attacked the party!"

"You heard that she's an almost clone for my Mum?"

Su stopped again. "Damn, really?" Su huffed. "Anything else?"

Eva bit her lip, but the words tumbled out anyways. "Nothing save for the bloke that attacked Hermione and I…"

"I missed everything then! Are you alright?!"

"I'm –"

"Eva!" Ernie called from afar. Eva craned her neck behind her and saw that he, Hannah, Susan, Justin, and even Zacharias were headed for her, their packs were with them too. "Did you think we'd let you skip out of the castle and on the train by yourself, especially after last night?!"

"So you heard." Eva said with a sigh.

"Everyone heard!" Hannah proclaimed as she hugged Eva. "Marcus Belby let everything slip while you were leaving the Common Room. He said that Slughorn said you and Hermione got cornered by a dark wizard!"

"You're just a trouble magnet these days, aren't you?" Zacharias said. Eva hung her head, but not before she saw everyone's eyes bore holes through Zacharias. "It was a joke! Not that it isn't true – but I was kidding!"

"Har har." Justin drawled. "Are you okay though, Eva?"

Eva shook out of the blonde's hold. "Stop!" She cried. "I don't need everyone crowding me and cooing me! Not now!" She looked up; hurt was present on everyone's faces. "Sorry, I know you lot mean well, but I want to be alone to think –"

"Too bad." Zacharias grumbled. "You might've been AK'ed if Granger wasn't there. You're not safe when you're alone."

"He's right Eva." Susan said. Ernie and Justin's eyes bugged. "We don't know if that bloke was after you or Hermione – or both of you. Plus, the Death Eaters have never hurt students on Hogwarts ground before. That means they're either getting crazier or more desperate. Until we know for sure, we have to look out for each other."

Eva groaned, Susan was making sense. "Sorry, again," She conceded.

Su patted her back. "Oye, I'd be cranky if some DE's spoiled my first kiss." Eva blushed, the rest of the Hufflepuffs blinked. "Or did it happen after everything? How was it? How long was it? Did he use tongue?" Each question brought more and more pink to Eva's face.

"With Harry?!" Hannah realized. "Congrats!"

"Is this really important?" Zacharias snapped. "I'm mean, You-Know-Who's minions waltzing in and out of the castle seems vastly more significant her than snogging the so-called 'Chosen One.'"

"He's right!" Eva squeaked. Shock colored Ernie and Justin's expressions once more. "We don't need to talk about it. Isn't there anything else to talk about?" mentally added 'anything not about me or my issues.'

"Lovegood's got a DADA group!" Su said. The Hufflepuffs besides Eva paled. "She's starting it next semester and she's invited me. Want in?"

"I don't know." Eva admitted. "I've never been good at Defense Against the Dark Arts. I got Ps and Ts even with Umbridge."

"To be fair, she wasn't much of a teacher so much as a Ministry plant," Susan started. "Luna's club is Dumbledore's Army." Ernie gave her a look but she shrugged at him. "What? It looks like the cat's out of the bag early so we might as well give them the whole story now." She turned to Eva and Su. "Remember those whispers about secret lessons the Golden Trio led. That's what Luna meant."

"You kept this from me?!" Su cried. "I would've killed to join! I would've told everyone!"

"Thus the problem," Justin said. "Micheal and Cho said you've outed them weeks before Marietta."

Su 'hmph'ed. "Just because I like a bit of gossip now and then doesn't mean I've got loose lips. I can keep a secret, right Eva?"

"Um…" Eva bit her lip again. Truly, she loved Su like a sister but the Asian's chattiness was a bit of a problem. It was the reason that Eva kept the fact that she was a Parselmouth from Su. "...sometimes…oh! But she did keep my crush about Harry secret." She recalled. Su beamed.

"Some secret!" Hannah said. "She told me a week after you told her!"

"R-Really?" Eva said. Su's smile flipped.

"Well, I didn't tell _him_." The Ravenclaw reasoned. "That's something!"

* * *

><p>"Hey Harry!" Harry had to keep from jumping at Ginny's voice. "How are those lessons with Dumbledore going?"<p>

"Good." Harry stammered. Ginny furrowed her ginger brows. Harry couldn't help it. He had noticed she had gotten steady closer to a certain Hufflepuff during the summer, the same certain Hufflepuff who had kissed him last night, the same certain Hufflepuff that had run off when Harry pulled away after Auror Vance found them. "How's, well, anything with you Ginny?" He asked as he walked back to his compartment in the Hogwarts Express.

"Pretty good I guess." Ginny said while she followed. "Mum's going to flip when she sees how my 'nice' clothes got messed up."

Harry laughed. "You didn't have to try and toss the punch bowl at that witch's head."

Ginny pouted. "I was trying to distract her and give Vance the advantage." She sighed. "Too bad she blasted it back at me, stupid Enzo girl."

Harry's green eyes widened. "Enzo?"

"Eufemia Enzo," Ginny nodded. "That's what Hermione told me the woman's name was."

"Sounds like I've heard…" Harry shook his head. "That's impossible."

"Why?"

"I could've sworn I've heard the name Enzo before."

"Really?" Her brown eyes were like dinner plates. "From where?"

"From the lessons." Harry admitted. "They aren't really lessons but Dumbledore showing bits of Voldemort's past." He looked at Ginny, she hadn't even shivered when he heard the name. "I could've sworn I heard the name at least once."

"The woman looked young. It could be a relative that was mentioned." Ginny thought. She looked at the floor. Her silence worried Harry so he shook her slightly. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I was just thinking…I have pages of the diary."

"_That _diary?!" Harry hissed. "Why?! Burn them!"

"Hold on!" Ginny snapped. Her angry face melted into a somber one. "I buried them in the garden though. I took some pages out because I was worried about you finding them." Red crept over her freckles. "I wrote some stupid things in the past. Sonnets, love songs - it was ghastly."

"Oh." Harry looked away. "I'm sure they weren't so bad."

"They were, trust me." Ginny said with a snort. "But other things, I took out because they were interesting. You don't understand. Tom was trying to seduce me in a sense. He told me bits and pieces of his life– possibly rubbish to make me feel for him and fall for him so I could be controlled easier – but some parts could be true. After all, the plan was to kill me after the muggle-borns. There'd be no harm in telling a dead girl."

"Ginny…" Harry breathed. His tone was full of pity.

"I'm not a silly first-year anymore, Harry!" She told him. "If I can help bring You-Know-V-Voldemort down then I will. If I can help you and Hermione and Eva, then I'll do that too." She began to walk away. "I'll look for the pages at the Burrow, meet me tomorrow night. Tell Ron and Hermione if you'd like."

* * *

><p>Eva tugged her suitcase along Platform 9 34 when a crack in the ground caught the wheel. She pulled and pulled at it but the luggage seemed stuck. "Su!" She called out. "Su, can you help me with this?"

"Um, can I?" Harry hopped down the stairs of the train a second before Su did. Su however, seemed to find something else to do in a hurry, quickly waving to Eva and running in the other direction. "Help you with that, I mean?"

"S-Sure." Eva said. He walked over and they both pulled on the suitcase. After two tugs it slid out easily. "Thanks."

"No problem." Another awkard pause stood between then. They both stared at the ground for sluggishly long minutes.

"So –" They spoke at the same time. "I –" They echoed each other again.

Finally Eva let out a huge breath (along with all her nerves and stress) and laughed. Harry stared at her as if she had gained three heads. "This is mad isn't it? All for a kiss…"

"Eva, um, I –" Harry's tongue seemed to trip on his words. Eva snickered more. She was the one usually stuttering in front of him.

"I get it. You're not interested." She said. Three little words panged against her heart. "That's why you backed away when Vance came."

"Eva, you –"

"Please, just let me finish. I've been thinking about the kiss since I got up today. I realized it's fine if you're not interested, I told myself I was okay being friends with you." Eva said. She blinked tears from her eyes. "But you've got more important stuff to focus on anyways. You-Know-Who, the DA," - Harry's eyes widened at that, maybe he didn't know that Eva knew - "N.E.W.T classes, Quidditch – more than a normal Hogwarts girl like me can compete with." She was trying not to shake, pretending to be strong was hardly her strong suit, but she knew she had to try. "But let's be friends. You can pretend the kiss never happened and nothing has to change. Alright?"

She held his hand. Harry stared at it. "Eva, I don't know what to say..."

"Eva!"

Eva frowned. Su was the last person on Earth she expected to interrupt her now. She turned to the voice however.

Eva dropped Harry's hand immediately. She dropped her bag too. Su was dragging Manny by the hand.

At Manny's side was Aurelia, grinning ear to ear. Eva ran to her. She forgot completely about her complaints this morning about wanting to be alone. She forgot about the Enzos' attack. She forgot about Harry's answer.

She hugged her grandmother, for a moment forgetting everyone but the two of them.

* * *

><p>Harry watched the scene, he couldn't help but smile. It reminded him of meeting Sirius in Grimmauld for the first time in nearly a year.<p>

Even Manny, who from what Harry could tell was being dragged against his will by the Ravenclaw, grinned and patted his niece's shoulder. Eva let go of the old lady and held on to him. Manny winced from pain but didn't pull her off either. The ex-Unspeakable was probably enjoying the girl's warmth on a chilly December day.

Harry grazed his hand, the one Eva had let go. Like her, he had been thinking about the kiss since he woke up.


	18. The Enzos and Palmers

_The Enzos and Palmers_

Deep in the overrun garden was where they buried Luca Enzo – the nearly century old patriarch. Clarissa had joked that Manuel Scott's survival was too much for his old heart to take. Chiara frowned, it was too soon for such jokes in her mind.

Not that Chiara would speak her mind to Clarissa, the new head her family.

So instead Chiara busied herself. She placed her groceries on their cracked marble counter. The kitchen was the least run-down part of the Manor and only because Chiara was willing to have it cleaned and fixed up. Niccoló bemoaned "woman's work" – his dislike of housekeeping was ironically inherited from his great-aunt Clarissa – and Eufemia only took care of her domain, the library. The rest of the house could be splinters for all Chiara's half-sister cared, so long as the sanctuary of books was restocked periodically and kept nice enough to read in.

"Che cosa devo fare…che cosa devo fare…" She said as she got out pots and pans. The house elves, Fiore and Flora, were too sick to cook – probably from sadness. They seemed to be the only ones in the Enzo manner upset. At the burial, not a funeral but the simple act of crowding around a grave and placing her grandfather inside, Fiore bawled into his dirty tunic and Flora clung to the tombstone. Eufemia had to pry Flora off with a spell and Niccoló ordered Fiore to quit blubbering. Chiara, as per usual, said nothing but kept her disgust inside.

Chiara let go of the pan in her hand. She looked down. For all her supposed disgust at her relatives, for all she tried to force herself to feel something – Chiara couldn't muster much angst for Luca Enzo's death. She had no tears. She had no sighs. She did not even have a fond memory of him to stir nostalgia. All she could remember was the times he had told her mother to "watch yourself, you and your half-breed" and how Luca called her mother "worthless" after she got herself killed defending Niccolo's dad from Aurors.

Chiara clenched her hands into fist but in the next second, his voice rang her ears like a ghost's, and she shivered. She rubbed her arms – arms that he had hexed when she hadn't learned a spell quick enough, or when she had hesitated killed a downed Auror. The truth was that she was scared. Even death couldn't erase the fear.

A pop sounded in the kitchen. Chiara wiped her wet face and turned to smile at the guest.

Her face was frozen. She dropped into a curtsy immediately, but her limbs shook slightly. "B-Buon Pomeri-riggio," She managed to squeak out, "Il m-mio signore."

She did not look Voldemort in the eyes as she spoke, nor at the softly hissing snake at his feet.

"Where is Clarissa?" He said in a low, heated tone that made it clear that he was very, very angry.

Chiara felt her throat go dry. "I-I-don't k-k-know," She answered, but her voice was barely a whisper.

"Do you mock me, half-breed?" Voldemort hissed. The silver snake moved to Chiara. She was shivering but did not move away even as the snake grazed her foot and licked her heel. "I asked kindly, didn't I? I give you more respect than one such as you deserves. One of my ranks might have been retaliated…" She felt the snake's breath on her ankle. Chiara couldn't stop shaking. "But, as I am merciful, I will give you another chance. Where. Is. Clarissa?"

A 'hmph' sounded behind them. "How rude," Clarissa sniffed. "You didn't even knock. You're almost as bad as my grandson."

Before Chiara could blink Voldemort had his wand out and aimed at Clarissa. A light shot out and the grandmother was colored with blood.

"Z-Zia!" Chiara cried. Clarissa snorted. She tried to get close to Clarissa but the snake hissed and rose. Chiara backtracked immediately and fell on the now red floor.

"Anything else you have to say, Signore?" Clarissa smirked. Chiara gasped at her wounded great-aunt.

"Impudent…" Voldemort raised his wand again.

Niccoló and Eufemia burst into the room.

"Please forgive my Zia Clarissa." Eufemia said. She and Niccoló bow. "We just had a death in the family. She has forgotten herself from grief."

Clarissa snorted, Eufemia gave her steely glare that only made her chuckle louder.

Voldemort moved closer to Clarissa but Niccoló stood between them. The man glowered at the boy but Niccoló kept a stony, unreadable face. At a minute of this the Dark Lord howled, shoved the boy off his feet, and turned to Eufemia.

"Aurelia never broke." Voldemort hissed. "She and her son broke one of strongholds. We'll have to move about 50 Death Eaters – not to mention decide if the captured ones are worth breaking from the Cage. She even took the ring from me."

"We're very sorry." Eufemia told him. The breathlessness she had was unlike the stoic voice Chiara knew her for. "If you wish, we'll send our guard wizards and witches after her, or we'll chase her ourselves."

"What I want," With each word he tapped on Eufemia's skin with his wand. Each time made Chiara's heart speed up. "Is answers! From her and from you!" Eufemia winced, the wand smoked as it burned her flesh. "What are you all hiding from me?"

"N-Nothing." Eufemia said, pain lacing her words. "We are wholly devoted to you!"

"Then why did you command my Death Eaters to raze West Hampshire! All for Aurelia!" He snapped. "Who is she to me?"

"No one." Clarissa sneered. "She's something to us - a pest. Let us handle her, as we have before."

Voldemort was silent for a moment. The only sound in the room was Chiara's soft whimpering.

Finally he took his wand off Eufemia. "You attacked Hogwarts."

"It was a diversion." Niccoló piped up. "Meant waste Ministry forces that are looking for you."

Voldemort, again, stared at the boy, searching for the answers he spoke of, Chiara realized.

Finally Voldemort spoke to Clarissa. "Return my ring and kill Aurelia. Her son is much easier to read, bring him alive if you can."

With that he was gone.

* * *

><p>Chiara had placed all her important belongings, as Eufemia had instructed, into three large suitcases. She waved her wand and murmured a spell to make them follow her out of the empty room and down the stairs.<p>

"You don't have to do that." One male guard said. "Let me get that."

"I'll help too!" Another wizard said. "Please, allow me." Chiara smiled at both of them.

"Chiara!" Niccoló snapped. The two wizards frowned and ran off. "Stop flirting and get over here!"

Chiara did not mention that she was not flirting, but sighed as she followed her nephew to the living room. Eufemia flicked her wand again and again over Clarissa, having the wounds Voldemort inflicted fade slowly but surely.

"She said that these are hard to heal, Dark Magic makes lots of healing spells hard."

Eufemia stopped chanting to speak to Chiara: "Are you hurt?"_  
><em>

Chiara shook her head. "Where are we going?"

"Ironically, to England." Chiara blinked at that. "Yes, it seems silly to run away from Dumbledore's hounds by leaving our home and go closer to Dumbledore himself. But France is out because the recent turmoil caused by Aurelia's breakout. We have allies and numbers in England that we don't have in Comano. Not to mention that their Minister seems to be locking up everyone but the Death Eaters. I wouldn't be surprised if the Scotts are shipped to Azkaban soon."

"How did they survive?!" Niccoló muttered. "That worthless half-blood and blood-traitor can't be that strong? "

"He's quite knowledgeable in spells and very relentless." Eufemia said. "But he's also as much of a liar as we are. The girl he had in his mind was his niece. She had no idea who we were...and who she is."

"Figured." Niccoló said. "If that bushy-haired Mudblood weren't there, I could've killed her then and there."

"What's our cousin like?"

Niccoló and Clarissa gaped at Chiara.

"She and her uncle are the last one's who can give the Dark Lord the truth. And once he finds them, he will kill them." Clarissa said. "And then he will kill me, you, and all of us for sharing their blood. For dirtying it."

"But."

"You know how unstable he is." Eufemia said. "And you know what he's planning. It's best that the truth die with them, so that we don't die too."

Chiara opened her mouth but no words came out. She looked down at the suitcases.

"When are we going?" Niccoló asked Eufemia.

"We'll stay a few in Italy with one of our guard's families, just till things cool down. Then will head to England."

Chiara nodded. "I left something in my room. It's important."

"Go get it then."

Chiara got up and ran up the stairs. Instead of heading to her room, she dove into the library. She didn't have to look for long to find what she was looking for. Eufemia had a red book and between the pages was a bit of newspaper. The words were in English but she understood them fine. Chiara pulled out newspaper, there was a picture of a girl - a girl who's teary face could only be seen for a second before she buried herself in the crook of an older man's robes. The older man covered the camera with his hand.

Beneath the picture was a caption: _Dermid Micheal Scott is survived by son, Manuel Dermid Scott, and granddaughter, Eva Blair Palmer._

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Lovely family, the Enzos. If it seems like they don't like Voldemort- that's half-right. I hope it's clear that they share his ideology - IE hate Muggle-borns, like blood purity, etc. - but to an extant (and the extant differs among the Enzos, as seen here). Just because they've got issues with the bad guys doesn't make them heroes.

Chiara was a bit fun to write, mostly 'cause she reminds me of Eva. (But it makes me wonder about Chiara's maturity - she's in her mid-thirties!)

I've been debating whether to do this chapter first of a chapter at the Burrow first. I'm glad I went with this one. The next chapter might change the story completely - but hopefully you all still read along.

Thank you to all the new watchers and followers and people who faved the story!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Translations (Italian):<strong>

Chiara:

_"Che cosa devo fare…che cosa devo fare…"_ = "What should I make...What should I make..."

"_Buon pomeriggio, il mio signore._" = "Good afternoon, my lord."


	19. The Unearthed Palmers' Secrets

_The Unearthed Palmers' Secrets_

"Wait. Wait. Wait." Ron frowned. "You mean after all that song and dance you're the one who fancies Ev–"

Harry covered Ron's mouth. It was bad enough that the redhead hadn't whispered – even though as far as their guardians knew, they were all snuggled in bed – but it was almost as if he didn't want Ron to confirm it. If he spoke it aloud then it might become true and if it became true Harry would have to deal with it.

Right now he'd much rather focus on digging through the garden to find Ginny's lost pages. He didn't mind the gnomes that tried to bite and kick his hands – in fact, he welcomed the distractions from his muddled feelings.

"Gross, mate!" Ron pulled Harry's hand away. "So what did you tell her?" Ron nodded to the other side of the yard where Hermione and Eva searched. Ginny was focusing on the center.

Now that he actually looked at her, how hadn't he noticed her eyes before. The gold flecks amongst dark brown stood out better under moonlight.

A sharp pain made Harry face forward again. A blue-coated gnome grinned smugly and tried to snag a second bite. He was batted aside by Ron.

"She cut me off." Harry told him. "And I wouldn't know what to say anyways. The kiss was," he paused when he felt his cheeks grow hot. "It was a nice kiss. As nice as Cho's I suppose. Maybe better 'cause their was no crying – but, what does that make us? Before last night Eva was just a friend. And before last summer she was a stranger! How much about Eva do I know anyways?"

Ron tilted his head and turned it to the left. "You know she's kinda cute."

Harry sighed. "Then you snog her."

Ron shuttered. "If Lavender caught me with another girl, she'd find the nearest Dementor and hand me to it with a bow." Even with just a dim flashlight, Ron's deep grimace was clear as day to Harry. "She's driving me mental Harry."

"Figured." Harry went back to his search. "Just break it off with her."

Ron shivered again. "I've been hinting but she won't let go. It's like dating the Giant Squid!" He dug his hand deep into the soil. "Hey! I got something!"

"Not another squirrel skeleton I hope." Hermione came over to them, followed by Ginny and Eva. Ron pulled his spoils from the dirt. They were flat, browned, worn, half-crumpled. "Are those them Ginny?"

The ginger girl squinted her eyes. "Yup." She snatched a few pages from his grip. "But not those."

"You wrote them forever ago Gin, we should check them first." Ron pulled them from his sister's hands. He heard soft moaning from Ginny. "Blimey!"

"What?!" Harry read over Ron's shoulder:

"_Ohhhh, a girl can dream_

_About sparkling eyes that are green_

_And black hair that is surely clean_

_Harry Potter is sooooo dishyyy…"_

"Wow." Harry said. It was the only honest thing he could say without being cruel.

"Well, at least the rhyme scheme's nice for an eleven-year old?" Eva said. She was probably scrapping her mind for any compliment she could think of.

Ron laughed outright. "I almost pity You-Know-Who, stuck with this dribble all day…" Ginny threw a gnome his way. He blocked, releasing the papers. In a flash Ginny had reburied them.

Hermione had pulled more papers from the hole Ron made. She handed some to Eva and kept a few for herself. Harry glanced at a page Hermione managed to smoothen:

"_Tom, someone else was hurt today._

_**How awful, you must be so frightened.**_

_It is scary. I have heard about the giant chess pieces and the unicorn hunter from my brothers, but I didn't think something like this would happen._

_Can I tell you a secret Tom?_

_**You can tell me anything Ginny.**_

_I found blood on the hem of one of my robes. It was a little bit and I was able to wash it out but…_

_**That **_**is**_** odd. Was it from a potion?**_

_I don't know! Maybe! Ever since I got here I've been having these weird spells! I've been blacking out lately because I'm so tired. And sometimes it even feels like my body's moving by itself! You don't think I'll be the next one Petrified, do you Tom?_

_**You'll be fine, trust me!**_

_**Have you told anyone about these trances?**_

_I can't tell my brothers or my friends because I know they'll think I did something._

_**That's why I'm here Ginny. I'll never judge you. If you can't trust these brothers and friends to do the same…then it'd be best if you limit how much you tell them about you and I.**_

_That makes sense I guess._

_**It does make sense. It'll be our secret.**_

_Thank you Tom! You're the best! _"

"How come we can see all these chats now?" Hermione wondered aloud. "When Harry got it, the pages were blank."

"Whenever I tore a page out, the words I wrote and what he wrote back would appear. That's why I stared tearing them, I figured if I wrote things down then it's help with my 'memory problems'." Ginny snorted without mirth.

"Sorry." Harry said.

"Are you Tom Riddle?" Ginny snapped. "No? Then don't apologize." She didn't meet Harry's gaze, but scanned her letters instead. When she couldn't find anything she'd groan and tear the page. The more she read the more she tore. While she wasn't a "silly first-year" anymore Harry could see they brought her back to that ugly time.

"Enzo!" Eva whispered but still managed to catch everyone's ears. "Um, the name – it's mentioned here." She held the scrap paper out so everyone could see:

"_Daddy says we don't have a coat-of-arms because they're useless in this day and age. No offense._

_**None taken, but I still wish you could've seen the one on my old ring. If you liked it, I would've given it to you.**_

_Oh wow! That's too much Tom! I couldn't accept something like that!_

_**But you've been so helpful to me Ginny. I should repay you.**_

_Helpful? How?_

_**You've helped me finish something I couldn't during my time at Hogwarts.**_

_I'm still not sure what I did though…_

_**If anything, I missed the company, being in a book and all.**_

_Oh! Well that I would've talked to you just because you're so nice! No need for jewelry. Why's it so special anyways?_

_**For one thing, the coat-of-arms. And the ring itself belonged to a legendary family of Purebloods – the Gaunts. Too bad it was stolen long ago.**_

_Stolen?! _

_**Yes, a nasty woman named Clarissa Enzo took it from me long ago. I would've tried to get it back, but, you know I don't like to confront people.**_"

"Clarissa?" Eva murmured. "Sounds Italian, like Eufemia."

"So they could be relatives." Hermione said. "But why was this ring so important to him?"

"The Gaunt's were his relatives." Harry told them. "Maybe he's sentimental."

"Really?" Ron said, his tone desert-dry. "If he had a sentimental bone in his body – he probably lost it when he got a new one from Wormtail."

"Who's Wormtail?" Eva asked.

"His rat." Ginny answered, which did nothing to remove the confused grimace from Eva's face. "Long story."

"But from the tone of this, Voldemort didn't like Clarissa Enzo." Harry said. "But why? Apparently they've the whole 'we-hate-muggle-borns' mindset in common."

"Maybe." Hermione tapped her chin, pensive. "The boy who went after us Cruico-ed Eva." Eva looked down. "Even though I was the one with my wand out. And Eufemia went after Eva first when their were many other Muggle-borns at Slughorn's party. Then you add the fact that she looks like Eva's Mum –"

"Hermione!" Harry hissed. His bushy-haired friend was so busy talk she hadn't seen Eva sitting on the ground, hugging her knees. "She's scared enough!"

"I'm sorry mate but it looks like Hermione's right." Ron said. "Eva was the target in all this."

"I can't be!" Eva cried. "I'm not the Chosen One, or even the friends of the Chosen One! I'm not a Ministry person's daughter – and my grandparents have been retired for years! Why me?"

"Why Harry?" Ginny questioned back. "He's not the Chosen One, just the bloke V-Voldemort keeps pestering. Maybe the Enzos are like that with you."

"Why not ask that suspicious Uncle of yours about them?" Eva glared at Ron. "Er, you know what I mean. He's your mother's brother right – so if some Dark Witch with Ginny's face –" Ginny winkled her nose "– started causing trouble I'd want to know as much as I could about her. Maybe he's been doing a little digging himself."

"But that would mean that he knew about Eufemia and didn't tell me. H-He wouldn't do that." Eva seemed to have trouble believing the last part herself.

"She mentioned him by name." Hermione added. "It's worth looking into."

"Come on guys, she just got him and her Grandmum back –"

"No, it's fine Harry." She had on a sad smile. "Thank you though."

Harry blushed again. Was her smile that pretty last week when they were just friends?

* * *

><p>Eva tip-toed into the living room later that night. Despite his objections, Molly Weasley cowed him into submission this time around. Not only did she hold him hostage for dinner but she gave him the couch to sleep on. Eva knew he'd probably sneak off to Grimmauld eventually, probably after Christmas, but for now it made Eva feel better that he could see him again – hold him, talk to him. He was back for now and that was all she wanted.<p>

Manny snored – snoring wasn't a regular thing or even very loud but when Manny did snore, Albert "Bert the Bunny" Palmer complained it drove him crazy at home – while a worn, two-sizes-too-small blanket was draped over his calves. Eva moved to shake him awake.

This close, the rings and tear marks around his eyes were graphic. Eva shook her head, placed the blanket over his chest so it would warm more of him, and sat on the floor, against the couch.

"He missed you too." Eva whirled her face to her grandmother's voice. Aurelia was always thin – she was were Carmen and Eva inherited their waifish frames from – but now she looked starved. Her face and arms were sunken in.

But she still smiled with her grandmother's smile, so Eva couldn't be too afraid.

She heard a soft hiss. **Just because I don't trapeze all around Europe like some daft man I know, doesn't mean I didn't miss my little girl too. **Gertrude slipped around Eva's shoulders. **You didn't greet me yesterday or today – now that's just rude!**

"Sorry Gertrude." Eva shrugged to snuggle with the snake. "I've been, er, distracted."

"Ooh, it is because of that Potter kid?" Aurelia asked. Eva froze.

"Y-You found out?"

"Dumbledore told me you two kissed – how cute! Your grandfather and I met at a dance too."

Eva buried her face in her hands. "It's official, _everyone's_ involved with my love life."

**You two are amusing to watch. **Gertrude's teasing tone fled just as swiftly as it came. **But I have a feeling there's much more "distracting" you than that. **

"Am I that transparent?" Eva wondered aloud.

**As see-through as river water my dear. **The snake's next hiss was harsher: **Now, out with it!**

"Grandmum?" Eva pleaded. Aurelia shook her head.

"Tell her, Eva. I have a feeling I'll need to answer some questions after this." Aurelia groaned as she bent her knees and toppled to the floor. Eva tried to help her but Aurelia nudge her aside. "Fine, fine, I'm just too old to sit right is all."

"It's not fine!" Eva stared in horror. "Grandmum, what happened to your hands?!"

Aurelia laughed, shaking her charred looking palms in the air. "You know how the Dark Lord is. Even little old ladies like me are fair game to him."

"But –"

**Eva! **

"Sorry." Eva breathed in and out before starting. "Do you know anyone by the name of Enzo?"

Aurelia stared, her dark brown eye was wide. "Yes." She said finally. "I know of them. They are a family of Dark Wizards in Italy."

"One of them looks like Mum."

"I know." The eye started leaking. "It was how they caught me. I had a feeling that your mother, La Mia Bella Carmina, had passed but when I saw her smiling at me – it gave me hope. In desperation I rejected the truth and followed Eufemia. She led me straight into a trap."

"Grandmum." Eva held the woman. "I'm so sorry, I –"

**Hang on a minute. **The scarlet snake butted in. **Is this the whole story Aurelia? Eva's already been left in the dark during an attack so the more you spill now the better.**

Aurelia smiled and shook her head. "Gertrude, infallibly pointing out the pitfalls of the Scott-Palmers since 1990."

**And I also like pointing out when you all try to dodge the subject. Would this whole family be mute if I weren't here? **Gertrude would've huffed if she could. **Get on with it.**

Aurelia groaned but pulled Eva away. She made her sit back down. "The Enzos are relatives from my side." Eva's legs stopped supporting her, she fell. She held her breath. "They're pureblood zealots like the rest of Voldemort's ilk. I never wanted you to realize though. That blood of mine is has nothing to do with you."

"But it does!" Eva told her. "If they're relatives of you then they're my relatives– my blood!"

"But it doesn't matter." Aurelia said. "You know the saying 'blood is thicker than water'?"

"Yes."

"It's rubbish." The woman coughed. "Or rather, it's been warped. The whole saying goes: 'the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.' The people who you swear by, the ones you align yourself with by choice – like me and the Order, you and your friends – they are what matters."

"But…" Eva started but Aurelia gave her a light head-butt.

"There, that was a 'butt' for you. Now no more." Aurelia pulled Eva to her feet. It was then that noticed something, a ring, hung from her grandmother's neck. "You've done too much investigating for tonight. Sleep on what you've learn, mia nipote. You'll see that I'm right."

Aurelia couldn't push Eva very far, she grumbled from the pain when she tried, but that guilted Eva enough to make her walk out on her own.

"Oh! Grandmum! One more thing!" Eva pointed to the necklace. "Where did you get that?"

"My mum." Aurelia said, and then she shut the door on Eva.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: I'm tweaking _CoS _a bit so that Ginny had more victims. Is Tom a bit too friendly? I figure that the letters were from before she realized the diary was controlling her.

I hope it's obvious what that ring is by now. But how it got into Clarissa/Aurelia's hands is a long story. And remember folks, Tom Riddle isn't the most honest bloke in the world, so take how he says the the ring was lost with a grain of salt.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Translations (Italian): <strong>

Aurelia:

"_La Mia Bella Carmina,_" = "My beautiful (little) Carmen/'Song',"

"_Mia nipote._" = "My granddaughter." (can also mean niece 'cause in Italy they use the same word)


	20. The Palmers Out Shopping

_The Palmers Out Shopping _

Eva saw Manny cringe. Aurelia still held up a tartan tie. The tie also had a red-nosed reindeer stitched on it. The red nose would glow every few seconds. The lean, elderly lady grinned.

"It fits you!" She said.

"Ugh." Manny shook his head. "It's gaudy!"

"It's adorable!" Aurelia continued. She shoved the tie in his face. He pushed it away. "How rude! I never raised you to reject nice gifts!"

"You raised me to be honest, didn't you? I _honestly_ think it's gross! Why is that deformed thestral with a cold smiling for anyways?"

"It's Rudolph." Eva piped in. He gave her a blank stare. "You know; the red-nosed reindeer?"

"He never was one for fairy tales." The grandmother tossed her stringy hair – but not longer matted, instead in a tight bun with a few strands loose – and ushered him to the dressing room. "Go, try it on. Try on the rest things I picked out too."

"The sweater with the house elf print?"

"Yes, yes. Go on. Go on."

"Eva, you've got to save me."

"I'm not sure I can fight Grandmum." Eva said, shrugging. She waved to Manny as he was ushered into the store's dressing room. She heard his grumblings and Aurelia's snappy Italian comebacks. She giggled even as she edged towards the door. She slipped behind the wizards and witches that waltzed around the store, searching for their own last minute Christmas gifts. She finally reached the entrance and spoke. "I'll be heading for Three Broomsticks now!" Aurelia stopped mid-word. "Harry and the others are waiting. Honest!"

"Eva," she started. "Let me walk –"

"I'm already late and you're so far away, so don't bother!" She said. She was grinning so widely that her lips hurt. She zipped past the door. "I'll meet you back here! Promise!" She called as she sped away.

After she was sure neither Manny nor Aurelia followed, Eva slowed down. She sighed and stared around. The snow was light but the white flecks stood out in the pink-purple sky of sunset. It was calming, almost like a sign instead of an omen. Even though the situation with Harry didn't work out but at least her grandmother was back. Her uncle was back too. The chaos of her life was beginning to even out into peace, Eva could feel it.

_**Typical, **_Eva felt movement in her bag. It couldn't be the gifts that were inside – a silver hairbrush for Aurelia and a book on Dementors for Manny – so she figured it had to be Gertrude. A dot of orange poke it's nose into the air, tasting it with her tongue. _**When since does forty-five minutes early mean 'already late'? **_

"I told you to stay home," Eva said. "This cold weather isn't good for you and the sun's going down."

_**It isn't good **_**for you **_**to be sneaking off alone! **_Gertrude snapped back. _**What were you thinking?**_

"I love them, I do. But between Grandmum, Uncle Manny, the Weasleys, Fluer, the Order – I haven't had a minute to myself in awhile. If You-Know-Who showed up for morning tea then I wouldn't be shocked! You already know me, I need time to recharge before meeting up with everyone again."

_**Speaking of Voldemort – **_

"Gertrude!" Eva gasped.

_**Please child, I'm not cowering over a name. Voldemort's forces have already gone after you twice. One is chance, two is a coincidence – don't try to find out if three is a pattern.**_

"I brought my wand this time, and as you said, two is _just _a coincidence." Her voice was sharp. The snake hissed, chiding her for the bad lie. Voldemort may not have any plans for her but these Enzo people sure did. Finding out that they were Aurelia's zealot relatives made Eva sure of it. After all, you can't be pureblood and then have 'dirty' relatives muck your line up. "We'll be fine. I'm sure of it." She lied. "I'm sure." She said again, still unconvinced.

"Scusa."

Eva turned around. A towhead woman smiled at her. "I am sorry if you are busy but do you know where this 'Madame Malkins' is?"

"Oh!" Eva squeaked. "It's down here, only three stores from this one actually."

The woman glanced ahead. Eva couldn't help but notice the male stares that locked on the stranger's curves, on her shinning hair, on her deep brown eyes. The boys chatted, some even whistled.

"Um," Eva spoke, the woman looked at her. Eva avoided those dark, magnetic eyes. "I-I don't know if y-you noticed but…"

"Oh, the men!" The woman gave a wave. There was a collective sigh amongst the streets of Diagon Alley. "Yes, they like to do that. Why do you think I asked a girl for help?"

"That makes sense." Eva nodded. "Are you new to the area?"

"Yes," The woman cheered. "I'm just setting up shop for the rest of my family. They'll come later. What about you? What's your name?"

"Um," Eva blushed. She wasn't the type of person who could enter a room and converse with everyone as if they've been long time friends. The attention she was getting embarrassed her…but not to the extend it used to. She thought of Slughorn's party, how he got her to talk to interesting people that she would've never dared to before. Compared to that, talking with one strange but friendly woman wasn't too bad. "I'm Eva." She held out her hand.

The woman held it. "Would you mind accompanying me?" Her pout was breathtaking, even to Eva. She had planned to spend some time alone but Gertrude had derailed it before anyways. "I admit, I'm a bit nervous around so many new people."

"I get that." Eva said. "I have a little time, why not?"

* * *

><p>"So what about this one?" Eva held up a gray dress robe with red lining. "Not too much, not too little. As you said you wanted."<p>

The woman held it up, she squinted. "Hm, looks good enough for me but," she moaned, dropping the robe. "I feel like he'll complain no matter what. He goes on and on whenever things don't do his way or look just like he wants."

"How old did you say this nephew was again?" Eva said with a laugh. The woman chuckled too. "Then again, I probably bug my uncle sometimes."

"How is he?" She asked. Eva blinked. "Your family I mean. Are they all good to you?"

Eva nodded. "They're the best, if a bit protective." The Enzos flashed in her mind, Eva frowned. "Well, the family that I've known the longest anyways."

"I'm sure they all can't be that bad." The blonde picked up the robe from the ground. "Do you want something like this then, but maybe in gold? You'd look lovely."

"No, no, I couldn't." Eva shook her hands in front of her. Again, she was reminded of Aurelia and Manny. "Not to be rude, but no thank you."

"No rudeness at all. I've been too rude it keeping you so long. It's just," The woman's grin faltered as well. "These times, you're safer with numbers."

_**At least someone here has common sense…**_ Gertrude sneered from inside Eva's bag.

The woman shivered. She whirled her head left and right. "Did you hear something? It sounded like a hiss!"

Eva laughed, with more breathiness this time. "No, no, must be the wind! Definitely, it's the wind!"

"Oh, well, if you're sure." The woman let out breath, so did Eva. "Say, Eva. Do you think you're safe?"

"W-W-What?" Eva questioned back. "W-Why would you ask something like that?!"

"There's a war here." The woman leaned on the wall. "There's a war everywhere in Europe. It seems inescapable. I want to be safe here though."

"Oh," Eva hugged her jacket close to her. Winter had gotten chillier in only a minute. "I think this place is pretty safe. Dumbledore's here –"

"So is You-Know-Who."

"Yes, but so long as you're with the right people," She thought of her Headmaster, her Professors, her friends, her uncle, her grandma, and Harry. The thoughts of them made her smile in spite of herself. "I think everything will turn out alright. They've helped me so much so…" She thought of how she left her family at the store. They really just wanted to protect her, didn't they? She ought not to waste their efforts. "So, when I'm with them I feel safe."

"I'm glad." The woman said. "I've been thinking about my family for awhile. They aren't perfect but I feel like I should be with them. They will defend me. Thank you, Eva."

"No problem, but I really have to go. I'm running late for a meeting with friends." She headed towards the entrance again. "Goodbye miss – oh," Eva laughed. "I'm not usually so forgetful, but never got your name. Sorry."

"I forgot to give it." The woman smiled. "Chia – Kia."

"Nice to meet you, Kia, and Merry Christmas Eve!" They waved goodbye, both with smiles on their faces.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: I should note that in Italian pronunciation, "Chiara" is said as "Ki-Ah-Rah." The 'chi' sounds like 'ki' and the 'ci' and 'ce' sound like 'chi' and 'che'. *shrugs* Eva can also be pronounced "Ee-vah" or "Ay-vah" but in my head it's always the latter.

I meant to finish this earlier but a tooth surgery and a writer's block derailed me. Sorry folks. Originally Eva and Chiara weren't supposed to meet till Eva was back at Hogwarts.

Eva does show all the signs of an introvert. Nothing wrong with that - as I do say so myself as an introvert - but they tend to get exhausted emotionally by being thrown into social situations. That doesn't mean they don't like people, they just like socializing in small chunks at a time.

* * *

><p><strong>Translation Notes (Italian):<strong>

Kia (Chiara):

_"Scusa."_ = "Excuse Me/Pardon"


	21. The Palmers and Gifts

_The Palmers and Gifts_

Eva flickered her eyes open. She at first she saw the sheen of sunrise on the lump to her right, Ginny, but nothing else. When Eva first arrived in summer, Ginny and her had gotten into a 'politeness war': Ginny offering her tiny twin mattress for Eva to sleep on and Eva insistently refusing. After half an hour they had settled the problem by both sleeping on the floor, as they did now. From the soft breaths at Eva's side, she knew Ginny had to still be asleep.

The door creaked open anyways.

Eva didn't move, save for reaching her wand beneath her pillow. The figure sauntered over to her. Eva leapt, she pushed the figure away from her and Ginny before shouting "_Lumos_!"

Her grandmother frowned at her. "Really? _Lumos_? I would've gone with a Stunning Spell myself. After all, there's not a fat lot of good in knowing who's after you if that same person is going to kill you in the next second."

Eva dropped her wand. "Sorry!" she chirped. "It was just that, well, I had a nightmare." In the dream Eufemia found Eva. The woman so similar to her mother cornered Eva in darkness, it was a flash of green light that scared Eva awake. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry for what's in your head, child." Aurelia patted her shoulder. "I'd worry more for your mental health if you weren't a little scared!"

Eva frowned, seeing that this conversation would do little to ease her still-shattered nerves, and changed the subject: "What are you doing here?"

"Adding a stocking stuffer." Aurelia held up a silver vial. "Another one of these for your collection."

"A memory?" Eva breathed. "Yours? Why?"

Aurelia shook her head. "If you had looked at the others you'd know why." She placed the vial in Eva's palm. "You won't be able to put it off for much sooner Eva."

"You're not making any sense." Eva spoke. "Why are these memories so important?"

"I'm not supposed to make sense, I'm an senile nonna!" Aurelia said with a snort. "You didn't have to get me a gift you know. My only Christmas wish is that you live long enough to be a nutter grandmum yourself – if you even want kids that is."

Eva grimaced again. She wasn't averse to the idea, seeing as she grew up with a warm, extended family. Losing each member one by one actually seemed to increase her desire.

As if she were a Legilimens, Aurelia spoke: "We do come from two different families don't we?" Aurelia kissed Eva's forehead. "I think I felt like you once, wanting to make and choose my own family."

"Grandmum," Eva said, pity in her voice. Pity that the Italian witch detested, seeing as she gave her granddaughter a light headbutt.

"I'll let you sleep for a bit more, I'm sure the other presents can wait." Aurelia started walking, limping, out of room. "Buon Natale, Eva."

* * *

><p>"Here." Eva glanced at her second surprising gift of Christmas. Then she glanced up, at a pink-faced Harry. "Um, I got it before Slughorn's Party."<p>

"Oh!" Eva squeaked. She wasn't sure how to read him. Was the blush because he returned her feelings? Or was he just being a shy gentlemen to the girl who snogged him? "I got you one too, it's under the –"

"Tree, right." Harry nodded. Finally he smiled. "Thanks a lot Eva."

Eva grinned back. "Same to you!"

"You never get us anything nice Harry!" One of the twins – Eva couldn't keep track – cooed behind her. Eva felt her face grow hot.

"Is it because we don't give you kisses?" The other twin said. "I've got mistletoe right here…"

"Fred!" Harry huffed. "Stop bothering Eva."

"But we aren't badgering the little badger…"

"…we're badgering you!"

"Are they always like this?" Eva gave a half-smile, trying to have a little fun herself. Harry snorted, which answered her well enough. "I can only imagine what would've happened if they stayed the whole year at Hogwarts."

"Chaos –"

"_Fun_ chaos –"

"Pink sweaters all a flurry –"

"Those mewing teacups would be turned to hawks and –"

"George! Fred!" Molly called. "Get your siblings, desert's finished!" The twins ran off, still murmuring their would-be plans for the ex-Inquisitor. Molly turned to Eva. "Is you're uncle feeling up to dinner? It's not too late to owl him and your grandmother."

"I'm not sure…"

"Certo," Aurelia said, in front of her was a scowling Manny. "He must have gotten over his bug." With a narrowed eye from her grandmother, a thin smile spread over her uncle's face. Eva bit her lips to keep from laughing. Manny had always told her that he disliked being around Aurelia for too long – it make him feel like a child who feared his mother's wrath once more. "Surely, he'll be able to spend the whole night with his niece."

"I already opened his gift." Eva smiled at the mention of her _Thoughts on Draughts _book. "Thank you, but you don't have to stay."

"Yes, I do." Manny said with another glance at Aurelia, who smirked. "I really do, where's the dinning room again Molly?" The ginger matron led them away. When Eva was sure that they were out of earshot she dissolved into giggles.

"What?" Harry asked. "What's so funny?"

"No, it's just. –" Eva let the last few laughs out before going on. "It's a Palmer thing."

Harry shrugged. A pang of sympathy reminded her that there was probably no 'Potter things' he could laugh about.

"Percy!" She heard Mrs. Weasley howl. Harry ran for the dinning room and Eva, though bemused, followed.

She looked up at a boy who was clearly a Wealsey – ginger, freckles, the same reedy shape as Ron – who smiled tenderly at Molly and embraced her. Eva beamed, she thought it was sweet…at least until she looked around. No other redhead had a smile on their face, even Harry groaned and Lupin – who had come for dinner – rubbed his head. Eva turned to her uncle and grandmother. Aurelia only made a 'hmmm' sound, so there was no way of knowing what she thought. Manny cursed and started to walk out. "I knew this wasn't going to end well…" he muttered.

He stopped when a pop sounded, in front of him now was a man. His hair reminded her of the large lion hat some Ravenclaw, probably Luna now that she thought of it, wore once. His stony face was nothing like the placid beauty of Luna, however. Eva felt like running away when she saw him too.

"Minister Scrimgeour." Manny spoke. "Pleasure to see you."

"Apparently not," the Minister of Magic grumbled. "I have seen your record, Unspeakable."

"Funny," Manny said without mirth. "Once an Unspeakable retires, his or her record is supposed to be wiped clean, according to the MOMW Protection Acts of '79."

"Things have changed since you rather abruptly left your post." Scrimgeour scanned him, and then he gave a small smile. "Your post is still open, you know…"

"With the War the way it is, you should fill it sooner rather than later." Manny said, Eva and the Minister winced, they had both heard the refusal clearly.

"Right, and speaking of protection," He locked eyes with Harry. "Mister Potter, may I have a word with you, privately."

Harry looked as if he'd rather tussle with another Hungarian Horntail than go, but he still left. The two of them went outside and Eva had to whirl her head between them and between her uncle.

"We should leave." Manny hissed.

Eva looked back at Harry and Scrimgeour. They seemed to be talking fine, so she turned to her grandmother.

"Leaving would look suspicious. "Aurelia reasoned.

Her eyes drifted back to the two men, now Harry had his arms crossed. Was the Minister trying to force him into something? Eva wondered.

"We could wish him Merry Christmas and he'd call it a hex. I know this man from before he was Minister. We should leave." Manny insisted.

For a third time her gaze wandered to Harry and Scrimgeour. Harry had spoken something and it made the lion-like man sigh. He spoke something else and then heading towards the door, back inside.

"Manuel Scott, Aurelia Scott," The man started. Eva swallowed, "and Eva Palmer, I'd like to speak to you lot too."

Eva felt frozen but Aurelia seemed to nudge her legs enough to move. Harry watched as they moved past him, his green eyes wide and glued to Eva. Eva stared too, hoping to sap some of his strength. She wasn't like him, she wasn't the Chosen One like him. She might not get away with sassing Scrimgeour like he could.

She rubbed her jacket for warmth in the winter's night, but it didn't compare to the feeling of her uncle's arm around her. She stuck close to him and his hold became more vise-like the farther from the Burrow they walked.

"You have to admit it Scott," Scrimgeour began. "Leaving when you did, the timing was quite odd."

"So?" Manny spat. "You may be the Minister but you aren't my keeper."

"Someone ought to be, you disappeared for months on end." The Minister spoke on. "Returning with your missing mother in tow. The same mother who's Pureblooded – even if we can't trace her family line."

"We're estranged." Aurelia answered. "Don't tell me you came for a little old lady. I'm no one of any merit."

"You were also a Ministry worker, in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures." Scrimgeour spoke. "You still have friends, even after a decade of retirement, friends to keep you in the loop and –"

Aurelia held up her hand. "If they spoke to you, then they are no friends of mine. I'm starting to see my son's point about you." She said. Eva might have imagined it, but she could've spoke Manny's yellow-brown eyes lit up at Aurelia's words. "You have nothing to gain from us."

"The Death Eaters might not see it that way, after all, the neighborhood of this girl," Scrimgeour pointed to Eva, Aurelia and Manny pulled her back. "Is one of the first to be attacked after You-Know-Who's unveiling, and she is kin to both of you?"

"She's –"

"And add to it what Vance told me," Eva lowered her head. She liked Auror Vance so she felt betrayed. "That a Dark Wizard signaled her out. I am the Minister. I'm supposed to keep the public safe, placid. Though if trouble seems to surround one girl then I wonder…" His eyes and Eva's met. "I wonder if she's hiding something."

"Do. Not. Threaten. Her." Aurelia growled.

"Do not threaten me," Scrimgeour said. "Or do you want to be arrested for inciting assault of an elected official."

Eva saw Aurelia's wand arm rising; Eva clamped her grandmother's arm down. "I'm," Eva stuttered. "I don't know why this is happening! I swear I'm not hiding anything!"

"Swears don't mean anything to me, Miss Palmer." The lion-like man spoke. "I've heard too many broken ones." Eva shivered, the cold and her fear were too much. The Minister's words stung her: "I will have to have you interviewed at the Ministry. Depending on your answers, you may be detained momentarily while we gather and make sense of the evidence."

"Detained?!" Manny and Aurelia cried.

"She's a child!" Manny told her.

"She is a year from being an adult under Wizarding law, and I can have her tried as an adult if I see fit." Scrimgeour told him.

"You can't!" Aurelia snapped. "She'll never be in a cage so long as I'm alive!"

"In any case, there was that incident of under-aged magic back in the summer. She ought to have had her wand snapped, this is leniency."

"I do not think you know what that word means." Manny said as he held Eva. Eva's tears made the cold worse, the wetness turned to icy nips as she thought about all her friends at Hogwarts. How long would it be till she saw them again? To think she'd be so insistent on being alone and that she once yelled at them for being worried. She wished to take it all back. She wished more than anything to tell them she never wanted this. "And I won't let you do what you please with her."

"Scott?" Scrimgeour said. "Remember what I said about threats."

"It isn't a threat, it's an exchange." Manny spoke. Eva looked up with wild eyes. "You wouldn't think there was anything suspicious about anyone in your employ would you?"

"If I thought so, they wouldn't be in my employ." The man answered curtly.

"Figured," Manny said. Eva's heart started to sink. "So you must trust me enough, since you offered me a job. If I accept it, then you never touch Eva. Are we agreed?"

Scrimgeour smiled. "That's the most sensible thing I've heard all night."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: This took far too long. I'm so sorry you guys. School and writer's block are a lethal combo. I have the next couple chapters mapped out so hopefully it'll be better.

* * *

><p><strong>Translation Notes (Italian):<strong>

Aurelia:

"_Buon Natale, Eva._" = "Merry Christmas, Eva."

_"Certo."_ = "Sure."


	22. The Palmers' New Roles

_The Palmers' New Roles_

"I should've said something." Eva sighed. "I should've said anything."

"And to think my folks voted for that arse!" Su snapped. The Asian paced around their compartment but Eva only watched her for a little while. She then stared at the window. Endless rows of white flew past the speeding train that would lead them back to Hogwarts.

Ginny had to drag Eva out of bed this morning. She could not feel any excitement about going back, not when her uncle had been strong-armed into a job he hated for her. Not when her grandmother, indignant after the deal had been struck, had hit the Minister a minute later.

"You might be having a trial tomorrow too," Hannah piped up. "If you had said something, I mean."

"That'd be better," Eva confessed, pressing her knees close to her chest. "I feel like I had my family back for a minute and now they're gone again."

"Come summer and you'll see your uncle and your grandma." Hannah insisted. She might have been more convincing if it weren't for the sadness she spoke with. Hannah's mother was an Order member and was away as well. Had Hannah given herself this pep talk, Eva wondered. "It'll be alright."

Eva looked down, she felt for Aurelia's vial in her pocket. Her grandfather's were still hidden in one of her woolly yellow legwarmers, untouched since Dermid's funeral. At first it was too painful to look at them, later she had just forgotten. It was only the day after Christmas she remembered those stored memories.

She may hate Scrimegour, but even she had to admit: trouble was stalking her now. Since You-Know-Who's resurrection was made public, she couldn't escape Death Eaters or Dark Witches. Eva was not the egocentric type, but she did not think it was an exaggeration to say she was the crux of all these incidents. So until she could figure out how to stop them, Eva's family and friends were going to get dragged along.

"Hannah," Eva started. "When's the first meeting for this DA thing?"

Hannah blinked her brown eyes. "Er, tomorrow night at the Room of Requirement. Um, Eva, you shouldn't feel like you need to join or –"

"I'm joining!" Su hopped in the air. "There's no way you'd be able to keep me from it short of a Body-Bind Curse – and even then I'd find someone to roll my rigid carcass over there!"

"Great," Hannah said in a not-so-excited voice. "But, Eva, are you sure?" Hannah fiddled with the Chocolate Frog cards in her hand. "We'll be learning stuff that we'll use against Death Eaters. This isn't a game or a club anymore. Even I…I get scared sometimes. If I think about fighting a Dark Wizard myself," She let out a breath and shivered. "If you're not up to it then that's fine – but we can't have you back out halfway. I'm a coward and I still managed not to back out."

"You're not a coward; you've been fighting from the start. I've been too scared to move." Eva told her. "It's always been my uncle, or Hermione, or Harry, or Su, or even Gertrude that's been fighting for me. If I'm going to cause all this trouble for everyone, I want to be able to help everyone out of it."

"You don't cause trouble." Su said sternly. Eva shook her head.

"I invite it, somehow." Eva spoke. "So I'm going to help, I'm going to do something for everyone." She looked at Hannah. "I'll be scared but I'll join the DA all the same."

* * *

><p>Manny held on to the seat in front of him, sitting on the edge of his own. His mother sat up straight in hers, albeit, it must have been less comfortable. The clasps on her wrist made him want to melt them with a spell and run with her out of the Wizengamot's grasp, like they had from Voldemort's.<p>

He couldn't though, not with Eva's head on the line. Not when he already had helped the Minister collect maybe two dozen other wizards and witches and dragged them here. Scrimgeour had Manny and the other Unspeakables working on two main projects: 1) a stronger, more potent version of Veritaserum that and 2) tracking through Floo and Owls anyone who had gotten leaks of government information out. Those who were caught with illicit information, or even those who had "suspect" books and "dark" magic, were reported to the Aurors, no questions asked. He had heard people beg and plead their innocence with the Wizengamot but those same "criminals'" would be shelved to Azkaban while the "investigation" continued.

Manny's stomach flopped. He was a private person himself, he kept his secrets close and if he ever let his Parseltongue slip then he'd be shipped away too. He had no right to force anyone to trials like this…but he had little choice either.

"Scott…"

Fighting his instinct, he didn't turn at the voice.

"Scott, you know I had to report what Eufemia did to the Head Auror, and he to the Minister." Emmeline Vance went on. "It wasn't just your niece involved, lots of people's nieces and nephews and sons and daughters were around when she attacked. I had to!"

"And yet somehow," Manny drawled. "My family was the only one visited."

"I never mentioned the first attack to Scrimgeour, at least give me credit for that." With a creak on the bench, he knew that Emmeline was next to him. He still didn't look. "And I like Eva. I didn't think he'd connect everything so soon."

"Do I look like a priest?" He grumbled. "Confess your guilty conscience somewhere else."

"All Aurelia has to do is admit to assaulting the Minister. He may be paranoid but the rest of them will probably give Aurelia no less than a week in Azkaban." Emmeline snorted. "I can think of a few people who wished they could've socked him."

"Like you? Don't make me do a report of suspect behavior, Auror Vance." He laughed, and he caught himself and grimaced again.

Scrimgeour cleared his throat. "Do you understand why you are here, Miss Scott?"

"No, not really." Aurelia spat. "I'm assuming there's some half-arsed idea you have about me. So enlighten me, Minister Baboo."

"Baboo?" Emmeline asked.

"Idiot in Italian," Manny answered.

"Ah," Emmeline nodded. "She is your mother."

"You are here," Scrimgeour said with a hint of anger in his tone. "To provide testimony for the attack that happened on Christmas Day."

"So you're here to bitch because I hit you."

Manny banged his head against the bench in front of him. Emmeline couldn't swallow her giggles. "Yes, she is so your mother."

"Aurelia Scott, I could hold you in –"

"Minister!" A non- Wizengamot witch ran into the court. "There's an army! Twenty of them in this hall alone!"

"How?" Scrimgeour hissed. Manny and Emmeline got up at the same time, wands brandished. "Death Eaters wouldn't have got so close."

"Not Death Eaters," The man stuttered. "D-D-Dementors."

As it the word cued them, Manny felt his skin turn to ice. The candles of the room unlit and the air gained a touch of fog. He could still discern the tattered cloaks that fluttered into the air. Wizards screamed. He heard chairs fall from how fast the Wizengamot fled.

His mother was still stuck, he remembered. Manny ran towards the center.

"One last chance, Aurelia Enzo."

Manny ran faster. He ducked out of the grasp of one Dementor and tried to speed down a row of stairs.

"Enzo, hmm." The grandmother chuckled. "You know, I wasn't too upset about giving up my maiden name."

Manny tripped, three dusky figures headed towards him. He didn't know if the increasing dread was because of the Dark Witch's appearance or the closeness of the Dementors.

"I promised this clan I found all the souls they could catch – and I will let them catch you if you don't come with me now. I need the ring back too."

"The ring?" Manny mouthed. She had given him a ring before they left for the Ministry. Manny joked that it was too pretty for him and she quipped that he was right.

"I know of no Aurelia Enzo," the old woman said, "and I have no ring."

"_Expecto Patronum!_" A tapir of glowing white butted the Dementors around him aside. It then continued to clear a path out of darkness for the blonde Auror. "Eufemia, get away from her!"

Manny followed Emmeline and they reached the center at the same time.

With the Patronus around them, Manny could see clearly. He swallowed. The woman was too much like the sister he swore he buried. If not for the cold, brown eyes, Manny would accuse someone of making an Inferi of Carmen.

"You're unnecessary to us, even if the Dark Lord wants you." Eufemia spoke to Manny but kept her wand on Aurelia, correctly figuring that neither he nor Emmeline would attack while the old woman was at risk. "You're both unnecessary but since she's more of my family than you, I'll give her a chance to live. Isn't that what you'd want?"

"You're not making any sense." Emmeline snapped. "Plus, you've got a wonky idea of what family means."

"They've always had." Aurelia said.

"You or him, Aurelia." Eufemia said. "You'll both die, eventually, but do you want to watch your son leave this world first?"

"Like hell I will," Manny growled. "You'll be in jail! You broke into the Ministry you idiot!"

Eufemia sniffed. "I'll be surprised if there's much Ministry is left after today."

There was a loud click of binds being snapped open and Eufemia was gone in a flash. Aurelia stood up and smiled at Emmeline. Manny blinked, he had been so focused on Eufemia that he missed Emmeline's silent spell.

"Manuel," Aurelia said. He pouted, much like the child he used to be. "Eva, she'll take care of everything. Help her."

"I will." He said, although her first words made his heart triple in speed. Why would his mother say something like that? Manny held out his arm. "Let's get out of here."

Aurelia grabbed his hand.

He let her fingers fall from his when it throbbed with pain. He glanced at it, it was gashed and bleeding. Eufemia disappeared just as he found her. Then she reappeared after a 'pop!' and shot a spell. Emmeline pushed the two Scotts away and was propelled back.

Aurelia got up first, shoving Manny down, and turned to face Eufemia. _"Ava_ –"

"_Avada Kedavra_!" Eufemia was quicker. The green light hit Aurelia's chest.

Manny caught Aurelia as she fell. Both of them were breathless.

Her wide eyes were a mix of green and brown for a second, looking up at him. Her patch fell off, revealing a hallow socket.

Her whole frame went limp. Aurelia let out her last breath.


	23. Palmers And Their Professors

_Palmers And Their Professors_

Eva sat in the corner of the Room of Requirement, between Su and Hannah. Unlike her, who hid her face and hunched her back to try and disappear, Su had not stopped smiling since they received Knuts from Luna. Even now the Ravenclaw grinned from ear to ear, jittering in her seat. Su nearly leapt when Susan said: "Right this way, Potter."

Eva sunk behind Su and Hannah even more. "Susan, what is this?" Harry asked.

"Nice to see you've forgotten your old students, Professor Potter." Zacharias snorted. "What does this look like?"

"Dumbledore's Army!" Ron gasped. "Everyone's here – well, everyone I liked at least. There are some blokes missing…"

"Obviously we couldn't bring back Edgecombe, and Cho Chang wouldn't come without her." Luna informed him. Harry hung his head, as if guilty for something. "Corner didn't join either 'cause he didn't want to upset Cho. As for the rest of the missing Ravenclaws, well, they all said there wasn't a point anymore since we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Is that all?" Hermione questioned. "Is that the only reason Luna?"

"Some were filthy cowards," Ginny huffed. "Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs alike – one even told me that they didn't want to 'agitate' V-Voldemort!" She threw up her hands. "Agitate! Like he's some sort of bugbear that won't kill us if we play dead!"

"It's alright Ginny," Justin said. Ginny was still red-faced and grimacing. "We did the Tongue-Tie Curse on anyone we asked, so at least they won't tell. Plus, we know who's willing to turn back and who's not." Justin looked around. "Is anyone here willing to turn back? Loyalty and trust are essential here. Once you're in the DA, you're in."

Eva frowned, thinking that his words were too harsh but the wave of nods Justin got surprised her. She realized then that everyone here had decided their place in the war. Everyone had decided that they would risk their life fighting Death Eater forces. She blinked some tears away when she stared at the third years; they were so young and the war shoved them into a decision so early. Regardless, she nodded to when Justin looked at her since she had made her decision on the train ride here.

"As you can see…" Hannah said patted Eva's back so that she sat up straight and tall. Harry looked at her immediately. "We have some new members too: Su Li and Eva Palmer." The rest of the room clapped, Su waved like a parade float queen.

Harry smiled. "Well, Eva I expected." Eva blushed. He turned back to Susan. "How's this going to work though? Am I going to be teaching the lot of you again?"

"Part of the time," Ernie explained. "This doesn't need to be just a Defense Against the Dark Arts class anymore. There are a lot of other ways to fight – Transfiguration, Charms…"

"Herbology!" Neville cheered. "Some plants can be really useful against the Death Eaters – like Devil's Snare and Mandrakes. I can teach everyone how to grow and care for them."

"So it's like supplementary classes geared specifically towards combat!" Hermione breathed. She had an airy smile and Ron rolled his eyes. "I love it! I'll get every book in the library to help!" Some Ravenclaws cheered with her but most of the students grumbled.

"Perfect, it's not like N.E.W.T level classes aren't tough enough." Ron shook his head. "Though, even I've got to admit this is a good idea."

"So you guys will be in charge of the Defense Against the Dark Arts stuff." Susan told Harry. "Neville and Hannah have volunteered to do lessons on Herbology." Neville and Hannah smiled at each other. "Luna and Ginny are doing Charms, we just need a Potions master and a Transfiguration master."

"Ooh!" Su knocked Eva out of her seat. Eva winced and as she stood up she noted that all eyes were on her. "Eva! Go with Eva!"

"What?" Eva, and Ernie, cried.

"You told me that the potions we made in Slughorn's class saved you're life! Remember?" Su spoke to the whole DA next. "That whole Dark Wizard and Witch attack happened a day before break and she was able to get away from them with the Firework Sprouter."

"And the Instant Smoke Filler, though that was a bit of an accident." Hermione added. "We never did teach Potions last year, did we?"

"Isn't Harry another Golden Child in Slughorn's classes?" Zacharias said with an unimpressed glance at Harry. Harry glared back. "Let him do it."

"Um…" Harry started.

"He's got a lot to do with Dumbledore." Ginny defended. "But as for Eva," She gave her an encouraging smile. "She's braver than you all credit her for, I believe in her."

"Er, it's not that we didn't believe in her…" Ernie stuttered.

"I vote for Eva then!" Su said even as Eva was waving her hands wildly. "She's so excited already! Who else votes for Eva?"

Ginny and Luna raised their hands. The Golden Trio did too. Hannah's hand rose and Neville's as hers did. Soon the room was full of raised hands. Eva's heart sped.

"So, Professor Palmer then?" Luna said. "Congrats."

Eva tried to smile but her knees were wobbling, she sat back down besides Su who congratulated her again.

"Alright you gits," Ron began. "Which one of you is the best at Transfiguration and can help the rest of us?"

There was a knock at the door.

"Are we missing someone?" Ernie said with a tinge of panic in his voice.

"Marcus Belby!" Susan gasped.

"R-Radish r-r-rump," Marcus's voice sounded from behind the door. "L-Let me i-in guys! Please!"

Susan obliged. Marcus sped inside but another figure zoomed inside as he did.

"A Slytherin!" Ernie snarled. The boy in the green and silver tie was met with a sea of glares and spat out curses. "Who's the big mouth? We swore to be quieter this time!"

"You were. I'm impressed." The boy turned so that now Eva could see his face. She blinked, Su growled like a stepped on cat. Blaise Zabini had a Knut in his hand. "Though this boy here was your weak spot." Marcus ran to Hannah, who hugged him and cooed to him that it was okay. "He was leaving the library the same time as me when he tripped and the Knut came out. I picked it up, and he acted as though I had stolen his first-born. I knew something was funny so…"

"There's nothing funny." Susan spoke coolly. "This is a meeting for tutoring."

"This is Dumbledore's Infamous Army." Blaise said. Most of the members were able to keep still and stoic, but others flinched as if slapped, giving away the truth with their body language. "I wondered when it would start again."

"You're a nutter." Ginny seethed. "Leave," She brandished her wand. "_Vesper_ –"

"_Silenco_." He whipped his out a second faster. Ginny gripped her throat. Ron and Harry rushed over and looked as though they were about to pummel the Slytherin. "I was defending myself. Isn't this what your little club is about? _Defense _Against the Dark Arts?"

"You _dare_ attack my sister!" Ron howled. "I'll throw you off the Astronomy Tower!"

"You can do that," Blaise backed away but Harry and Ron stomped closer. "Yet, then you'd be out one potential ally against the Dark Lord."

Harry halted, yanking Ron's shoulder to prevent him from going further. "You…" He spoke as if his own words surprised him. "You want to join Dumbledore's Army? Are you kidding?"

"How do you lot get new members if you talk to them all this way?" Blaise folded his arms. "Yes, I want to join."

"You're a Slytherin!" Ron snapped. "Do you think we're all mental?" Blaise opened his mouth but then it clicked shut. He decided against answering Ron's question. "Putting you in is the same as giving one of our Knuts to Bellatrix Lestrange!"

"Lovely woman," Blaise snorted. "I'm serious, I want to join. I want to end the Dark Lord's reign once and for all."

"You're just a liar!" Su had to be held back by Eva. "There's no way we'd trust what you say! You'd be a spy!"

"I wouldn't."

"You would!" She slipped from Eva's grasp and pushed him to the ground. "Get out of here before or I'll turn you into a something even slimier than your present self!"

Blaise sighed. He dropped the Knut on a table in the center of the room. Eva blinked, why would he take his evidence and his key to the DA if he wanted to spy? She thought they would have to pry it from his fingers but he simply started walking away.

Eva bit her lip, her stomach flip-flopped and the question bounced in her skull. Finally, she let it escape her. "Wait!" Blaise paused and Su gaped at Eva. "W-Wait, Zabini, you helped me once."

"He did?" Su blanched, whirling her head between Blaise and Eva.

"That was nothing," Blaise dismissed.

"It wasn't nothing!" Eva cried. "I, I never thanked you."

"You shouldn't have." Blaise smirked. "Now you owe me. I know you badgers are big on fairness."

Eva gulped. Harry and Su aimed their wands at the Slytherin and he began walking away again. "He's right, I do owe him." Eva agreed. Blaise grinned more. "Everyone, I know this is a lot to ask and kinda a risk but – "

"Absolutely not!" Justin crossed his hands. "He's a Slytherin! He blatantly used you and you want us to trust this guy? There's nothing he could do to make us trust him!"

"He could teach us." Luna piped up. Not for the first time, Ginny and Hermione gaped at Luna like she had two heads. "I heard McGongall say the Zabini had a lot of potential once, almost as much as Hermione." Hermione pouted and let out an 'hmph.' "You should be good at Transfiguration, shouldn't you?"

Blaise nodded. "It would be a pain to teach everyone, but I'll do it."

With a flick of his wand, Ginny regained her voice – and continued screaming. "If you betray us, you'll go down with us!" Ginny hissed. "We'll tell your Death Eater friends that you were feeding us information the entire time!"

"I could squeeze out of that claim," Blaise was met with Ginny's glower. "Though, as I am not a spy, it won't be necessary."

Susan rubbed her head. "Fine, we'll see how this works for the time being. Now, let's work on a schedule…"

The rest of the meeting went on with palpable tension in the air, especially in the bubble around Blaise. Blaise, however was compliant to all of Susan and Ernie and even Harry's demands of him. Eva could tell from the murmurs of other DA members that this submissiveness only bred more suspicion. Unfortunately, Eva heard whispers against her too – after all, she wasn't with the DA in the beginning and how trustworthy could she be if she stood up for a Slytherin?

"Let me see you," After the meeting was over and all the students filed out in small groups, Su jerked Eva's face to her. Her dark brown eyes were searching in yellow-brown ones. "I don't see any signs of the Imperius Curse or Confounding. Did he use something else?"

"Su!" Eva shook her friend away. "Do you really think he's that bad? He seemed sincere!"

Su's anger faded into soft sadness. "You're a nice person, Eva. You think people who are nice to you are that way because they are good people. Sometimes you're just useful and that's why they're nice. Sometimes nice people and good people don't coincide." She turned on her heel and stomped towards the Ravenclaw Tower. Eva sighed and strolled to the Hufflepuff Dorms.

At the portrait of fruit she saw Dumbledore. "Professor?"

"Miss Palmer," He frowned. "It would be a lie to say I'm glad to see you."

"W-Why?" Eva felt the same heaviness in her gut that she felt when Blaise entered the DA meeting. "W-What's w-w-wrong?"

"I must give you bad news once more."


	24. Palmers: Dermid and Aurelia

_Palmers: Dermid and Aurelia_

Eva did not know how long she was in Dumbledore's office. After he informed her of the attack on the Ministry and Aurelia's death her heavy sighs that scraped against her lungs replaced seconds, minutes and hours. He had left her to stew almost immediately as he had to get back to what was left of the Ministry and speak what was left of the Order, but the Headmaster told her to stay as long as she wanted. Her legs were numb, practically attached to the wooden chair she sat in. Eva did not want to go anywhere but she did not want to stay.

She replayed her last meeting with Aurelia, looking for a clue that would have foreshadowed this. In retrospect, the sad smile and the resignation that laced her grandmother's warnings were things Eva should have picked up on. Aurelia knew she was going to die and wanted Eva to know too. Eva did not till it was too late. She failed her grandmother for the final time.

Fawkes crooned; his song eventually drowned out her rasps. The phoenix seemed to note Eva's mood and thus his melody was low and soft. Eva listened until the tears stopped welling out of her eyes. Finally, she turned to the bird. "Thank you. I don't know if was for me but thanks regardless." She said. "You're a bit like Gertrude in a way." Fawkes craned his neck, as if confused. "You have the same colors, bright orange and red. Orange was her favorite color, my grandmother's I mean. And she loved music too!" Eva allowed herself to smile and look at the phoenix. "That's why she named her daughter Carmen, that's 'song' in Latin. She and grandpa met at a dance –" A jolt of pain clanked on her chest. Thinking of Dermid bled into visions of Carmen and Albert and then again of Aurelia. Fawkes started another tune and Eva clutched her head. She did not know whether she wanted those memories filled with smiles and laughs to be torn out of her mind or if she wanted to grasp at them and stay in them.

After who knows how long, she tried to stand. Her knees caved. For a moment she wanted to stay on the icy stone floor but then she heard something clank. She uncovered her eyes and gasped. "No!" Silvery liquid, glowing in the starlight that poured from the window, was spilling from a broken vial. It must have slipped from her pocket when she slipped from her seat. "No! No! How could I have broken it?!" She scooped as much as she could and covered the crack in the vial with her thumb. "Grandmum…" she breathed, guilt stitched into another sigh.

Fawkes let out a loud cry. Eva nearly jumped. She looked at the bird while it squealed. What was he trying to tell her? "Um, these are my grandmum's memories – if that's what you're wondering." The phoenix fussed more. Eva frowned, wishing her ability to speak to snakes worked on birds as well. "She gave it to me for Christmas to go along with the vials that I got…" A thought hit her "during the will reading! Dumbledore said he has a Pensieve I could use. I didn't want to look at the memories then…" She looked at her wet, glittering palms. Drops of liquid escaped them and splashed to the ground. She did not want to look at the memories now but the chance was literally escaping her.

It did not take long for her to find the Pensieve in the black cabinet. It looked like a sink of sorts and had a faint, cloudy shimmer in the basin. She spilt the remaining liquid from her hands and from the vial. With one breath she dove inside.

* * *

><p>Manny thumbed through tattered books. Although he had access since the summer, he had the whole library of his father transferred to Grimmauld Place during Eva's Holiday Break. Spite made him patient. He knew his father had simply dropped a rubbish heap on him rather than "willed" knowledge to him. He was not the favorite, Carmen was. Carmen got his wealth, Manny did not. Ridiculously, childishly, and thoughtlessly, Manny ignored Dermid's dying offer. The Unspeakable had no intention of treating these books like a gift or like an inheritance.<p>

At least he had no intention till he watched his mother die. He needed any and all distractions and a hundred or so books would prove pretty useful now.

He had just finished _Tales of the Beatle Bard_, his third book of the night. He tossed those fairytales aside and then looked to the next one in the two-foot-tall pile on the table in front of him. This one did not have a title and was older-looking than the rest. He scooted closer to the fireplace and opened the first page.

"_These are the words of Dermid Michael Scott, Age 15, Year 1949."_

Manny slammed the book, the diary, shut. His trembling hands were dangerously close to throwing his father's words in the fire. Did Manny have to find this diary today? Right after his mother died, right after he had to tell how Eufemia killed her both to the broken Ministry and the overworked Order? No, it could not be today. He could not read today.

Manny heard the clock chime twelve. Technically, today was over.

Wiping sweat, and tears that he would never admit to, from his face, Manny opened the book again.

"_This is my fifth year in Hogwarts. I'm a Ravenclaw and smart even among the Ravenclaws if I do say so myself. The Headmaster, of course, had to make me a Prefect!"_

With a bit more gentleness, Manny closed the book again. He snorted. "So you were always such a know-it-all, Old Man?" He shook his head and read once more:

"_Well, I'm at least smart enough to uncover some of the mysteries around here. I will definitely look into those whispers about Salazar Slytherin's secret chamber. Plus, there is supposed to be some room that appears and disappears as you require it – let's call it a Room of Requirement. I cannot wait discover everything and prove all those naysayers wrong!_

_Especially that Aurelia Enzo! Awful she is! Dreadful! Ghastly!_

_We met while dancing but she stepped on my toes on purpose! She complained that she was there to enjoy the music, not be swept up by some Half-Blood. She said Half-Blood like it was a hex! I know her kind of people aren't uncommon – even in this so called enlightened establishment – but coming from her said sentiments annoyed me more than they had from any other inbred imbecile._

_She's awful but she is also the most interesting woman I've had the misfortune of meeting. She has a "condition" and cannot show one of her eyes; thus it is covered by a patch. She's bilingual, and beautiful, and she seems to be a natural at Care of Magical Creatures – a class that her peers usually scorn. After all, they don't seem to 'care' for any non-Pureblood and view the rest of us as 'creatures.' Regardless, she has wit fitting enough for my house and ambition enough for Slytherin. This begs the question – why was she not placed there? Why with her Pureblood ideals and her cheek was she not worthy of that House? Or rather than a question of worthiness, for such a House is not worth much in my opinion, is it that she prefers Hufflepuff? Where's the tolerance and fairness that her house is supposed to breed? _

_Rest assured for I will uncover everything about her. There is no way I could not be drawn to such an enigma of a girl._

_-Dermid, October 23"_

Manny skimmed the rest of the book. There were enough diary entries for at least four years. Aurelia's name, sometimes as Enzo and sometimes as Scott, was mentioned frequently.

"Tomorrow's going to be hell." He muttered to himself. As if on cue, Gertrude slithered closer. He had gotten her from the Weasley's before coming to Grimmauld. Even she had hid for hours after Manny had told her of Aurelia's death, probably to let out all her grief without Manny seeing. Now she moved slowly, and she crawled up on Manny before settling around his shoulders. A rare occurrence since she hardly cuddled with the cranky Unspeakable she hissed at frequently. "I should be getting sleep and not reading about my folks. The Minister will have us run around the entire UK to find Eufemia."

_**Do you want to sleep then? **_Gertrude asked. Manny shook his head. _**Good, neither do I. Read this page once more for me please?**_


	25. Past Blood - Befana Enzo

_Past Blood - Befana Enzo_

When Eva opened her eyes she was no longer in the dark office of the Headmaster. Or rather she was in his office, but it was no longer dark. The sun shone behind a bald man in Dumbledore's seat. He moved his hands under his chin which didn't surprise Eva since he looked fragile enough to need the support. The Headmaster seemed bony enough that he should be clasping under his own weigh.

"You two," He said with a voice that was practically a whisper. "Can you tell me what ails you so?"

"No ailments on my part, Professor." A girl said. Eva's eyes moved from the man in the chair, across his desk, and then the two seats in from of the desk. She stared at the speaker and gasped.

The woman was a teenager with olive skin and tawny-colored hair. Her eye, the uncovered one, was deep brown while its twin was hidden beneath a ring of bandages.

Eva almost fell when she looked at a young Aurelia. Eva saw her own frame, albeit Eva herself had rounder hips. Aurelia's face was identical save for a sharper nose, smaller lips and the fact Aurelia wore a smile instead of the 'O' Eva did.

"Professor Dippet, I do not know for what reason I have been called," Aurelia continued. "I hope, however, that this is merely a misunderstanding. I know us Enzos are foreigners but I feel my family has treated you with enough kindness so that we can be accepted. Is this how the Scottish repay kindness?"

Eva felt goosebumps grow on her skin, despite the fact she knew no wind could touch her in a Penseive. Her grandmother was so…scary. Although Aurelia smiled throughout her speech and never raised her voice, Eva heard a trickle of sourness in the words. Did her grandmother just threaten the Headmaster? Did she just allude to bribing the Headmaster? Thoughts like those made Eva's head swell.

"No, no –" Dippet waved his spindly arms. He then rubbed a crystal ball on his desk that had a glided base. Aurelia glanced towards it and smiled wider. "I, of course, appreciate everything the Enzos have provided and –"

"The Scottish repay kindness with kindness and bullshit with bullshit." The boy on the left of Aurelia huffed. Eva looked at him and saw what could be a younger version of her uncle Manny. His voice even mirrored Manny's. They were clones save for that his not-born-yet-son's black locks were longer.

"Grandpa," Eva murmured to herself. Aurelia did not look at him. He glowered at her with such heat that the gold flecks in his eyes seemed like a fire.

"Dermid, please be reasonable." Dippet breathed, flapping his hand as if to fan away the flames in his stare. Dermid simply shifted his glare from Aurelia to the Headmaster. Dippet frowned and decided to keep his own gaze to the still-smiling Aurelia. "I've heard from Professor Dumbledore that the two of you decided to have a duel in his class rather than focus on the spell he assigned. While I'm sure Madame Lauren will be able to remove Melissa Moore's trunk by nightfall, it's just one of the latest incidents caused by your squabbles."

"I do not understand," Aurelia's expression went blank, doe-eyed. "Squabbles?"

"Yes, 'squabbles' are what we we call fights or tiffs or –"

"She understands your English just fine!" Dermid stood up. "She's just a two-faced, stuck up, bigoted –"

Aurelia shivered. Eva cringed because she could imagine herself making the scrunched up pose. "He keeps yelling – I feel like he'll attack me and that's the only reason I react to him."

"Dermid Scott, sit down." Dippet ordered.

"She's a liar and a snake!"

"Non pensai che sei media vera…" Aurelia muttered.

"She's is a disabled young woman who is in a strange land. You should be more compassionate." Dippet explained. Aurelia nodded and whimpered. "If I hear of another hex from you Dermid, you'll be doing lines for two hours for a week!"

"That's not…" After a sniffle from Aurelia, Dermid blew hot air from his nostrils. He must have figured he had lost this battle. "Sorry, Professor," Dermid said as he returned to his seat.

Dippet gestured to Aurelia. "Give her an apology too."

"What –" He snarled and she gave him a smile. "Sorry…" He hissed.

"Good, now, you two have Merryweather in ten minutes. Be off." Dippet patted Aurelia's shoulder before she rose from her seat. When she did rise she curtsied to him before skipping out. Dermid mock – gagged and followed her.

"I can't believe…" Eva could not finish speaking before the noticed her body floating out of the room too, following Aurelia. Eva walked alongside her young grandparents throughout the Hogwarts halls. Some things look wildly different, others look completely the same. She wanted to take in all the sights but her grandmother's voice brought her attention back to the couple.

"Baboo," Aurelia snapped her head away from Dermid. "Don't cling so close to me, half-Blood."

"There'd be more room on the stairwell if you fell off it." Dermid drawled. "Sorry to be sucking up your air."

"Well I can't fault you for that. You're just following instinct to breathe after all. All animals do." Eva winced and it was mirrored by her grandfather. Aurelia had verbally slapped the two of them.

Dermid pulled out his wand. "You little…"

"Professor Dippet!" Aurelia hollered. Dermid shoved his wand back into his pocket before the bald man arrived. "I forgot to tell you how nice you looked today, Professor Dippet." The Headmaster smiled and walked back into the office.

"You're crafty, I'll give you that." Dermid said, "Which makes your petty games all the more annoying. You should be smart enough to know your Pureblood pride is a load of bullocks. You could be so much better than any of them but you ended up worse!"

Aurelia shoved him so hard Dermid hit the railing. "No." Her small word held so much fury. Eva stepped away when she heard. Dermid sucked in his breath and gripped the red blotch on his arm where he had landed. "I can't be worse than them. I can't."

She stomped away. Eva tried to run towards Dermid, but the memory made the scene of him fade meanwhile pulling her to Aurelia.

"What a fool," Aurelia seethed. She folded her arms and rubbed them. A genuine shiver ran down the girl's body. "As if…" Aurelia sighed.

"I'm starting to wonder too." Eva said. "How could you be so cruel to him? How could you say those things?"

Eva, of course, got no answer but walked next to her grandmother anyways. She noticed they were leaving the castle and grimaced. Her confusion grew and fear was added to it when she saw they were heading for the Forbidden Forest.

Aurelia murmured the Disillusion Charm on herself before tip-toeing pass Hagrid's hut – Eva marveled at how new it seemed, how young the Hagrid that was in the Hunt's window looked – and crept into the forest. She walked only a few yards in when the Charm faded. Aurelia didn't look fazed, but she whirled her head back and forth.

"What are you looking for?" Eva asked.

"Befana!" Aurelia whispered. Eva looked back and forth too, trying to find this Befana. Finally she heard a rustle in the grass. Eva glanced down and nearly missed the green and black dotted snake that slinked over to her grandmother. Aurelia knelt and picked up the snake. "You're just what I need right now, Befana." Aurelia said when she put the snake on her shoulders.

Befana nuzzled her cheek. _**Dear, I can smell the tears about to fall from your eye. What happened?**_

Aurelia sniffed. "I won't cry over some half-blood's words. I won't allow it!" Aurelia muttered. "Can't you eat him? I heard there was a snake that eats people like him!

Eva held her breath, remembering the Basilisk from second year. Eva remembered the soft whispers she heard while she walked in the hall, the ones that made her cover her ears in a useless attempt to bat them away. _I'll find you_…_y__ou're too interesting to escape…_was the snake's threat that echoed in many nightmares. The only advantage to hearing the creature what that Eva could drag away her friends if the voice was too close for comfort. Barring Justin, who insisted that he didn't need to be babysat and ignored her warnings, it kept them safe.

_**Do not even joke! That creature is unholy. It is not something meant to hunt humans for something as menial as blood purity…**_

"Befana!" Aurelia scolded.

_**Please, child. Human is human to us, wizard is wizard. Purity of blood makes no difference unless a master insists on it.**_

"Well I insist!"

_**Well, you are not my mistress, or at least not just so. You are my friend, my slightly deluded charge…**_

"If you were going to chide me too then you shouldn't have…" Before Aurelia could finish Befana coiled around her arm. Befana slithered on the grass again but looked back at Aurelia. Aurelia held a grimace on her face for a full minute but the frown faded as the second ticked on. "Sorry." Aurelia admitted. "I never told you about my day. It was that Dermid guy again…"

Eva heard a chuckle come from the snake. _**Since your dance you and he seem to have daily confrontations.**_

"It's his fault. He said something awful…" Aurelia breathed. "He said I'm worse. That ignorant lout doesn't know Mr. Enzo and he dares –"

_**Aurelia, you said you wouldn't cry over him.**_

"I'm not!" Aurelia pounded the dirt. She kept her eyes closed but tears still escaped. "How dare he? How could he? How could I even compare to…" Aurelia rubbed the bandages. "My grandfather plucked out this eye himself you know. It was from before I even met you when I was about ten. Mr. Enzo said he needed some part of me to test my blood since I'm a bastard. He said he wouldn't have it healed because I needed to learn from my mother's mistake, so I'd learn not to risk my pure blood on a fling as she did. He needed for me to have Pureblood more than he needed me to have two eyes. So being pureblood has to be important right?"

_**Aurelia…**_ Befana did not say anything else. She simply brushed against Aurelia's knee. Eva warred inside herself. One part wanted to comfort her crying grandmother. Another remembered the hateful words Aurelia spewed at Dermid and thus that part wanted to run away from her. Eva wondered if she should leave the Penseive right now.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: So yeah, there's going to be a series of Chapters dealing with the past. Like a prequel save for its in the middle of the story. I'm thinking it'll be no less then five "Past Blood" chapters and no more than ten.

* * *

><p><strong>Translation Notes (Italian):<strong>

Aurelia:

"_Non pensai che sei media vera…_" = "You don't know you are half right..."

_"Baboo."_ = "Idiot."


	26. Past Blood - Pomona Sprout

_Past Blood - Pomona Sprout _

"_I couldn't risk another strike with Professor Dippet. Ugh. But she was still so awful afterwards and unfortunately still so pretty. The Ravenclaws, even Muggle-borns and blood-traitors, note her good looks like she has some sort of veela charm over them. Everyone one agreed however that Aurelia had two flaws against her: One – her pureblood arrogance, and Two – her veiled eye. Funnily enough, I think the latter makes her more gorgeous. It marks her and it proves that she isn't as puddle-deep as she seems. There had to be something more to her and I thought those bandages were the first layer to the real her._

_So, in a moment of insanity, I told her that she looked good today in Charms class. She laughed at first and then mocked me. I didn't stop staring at her till the laughs stopped, then I told her that _all_ of her looked good. She doesn't have to change any part of herself, is what I said. She frowned and for once in our five years in Hogwarts we could work together in silence. Augusta later told me it was a sign that the world was ending. _

_Well hopefully the world ends after I peel back another layer of her. _

_-Dermid, November 10"_

* * *

><p>"…<em>as for Aurelia and I, her calmness is almost as scary as her viciousness from before. Since that day in Charms class she's distanced herself from the other Pureblood-obsessives like Crabbe and Lestrange. Good for her, I say. Thing is, she's been clinging to me for some reason. She didn't say we were friends exactly; she just talks to me about Charms or Care of Magical Creatures or some article in the Daily Prophet. Then she runs off towards Hagrid's Hut. I asked him but he never sees her so I suspect she's using a charm of some sort. Interesting. <em>

_While I did want to study her more closely I have gotten in trouble with many housemates and Augusta. They're excusing me of conspiring with the enemy! At the very least Augusta has warned me that she wouldn't put it past a flirting Grinewald-esqe Girl to turn a Half-Blood into a glorified house elf. Aurelia doesn't seem to be flirting, or she is flirting poorly, but Augusta probably has a point since this turnaround is just too strange! I don't espouse any of her views but it seems like she doesn't even espouse them anymore. Still, her reputation is in the loo, her Pureblood allies are being forsaken by her and the free thinkers such as myself are holding her past sins against her. She's in danger of dragging me with her into pariah-dom. _

_Wait. Is that it? Is that her revenge plan? Ooh, she _is_ an evil genius! I'm appalled and impressed! Luckily, my intellect has proven superior to her little games and I caught her just in time! Mark my words, I will never consort with the little snake from this day forward!_

_-Dermid, November 30"_

* * *

><p>"<em>I, just as I vowed in November, swore off Aurelia Enzo. I avoided her. I did not let her sit by me, talk to me, or even partner with me. She never really showed any sign that it hurt her. She'd just bite her lip and huff and walk off. Augusta said I was better for it and I tried to believe Augusta. I really did. I seriously might want to consider heading to St. Mungo's for writing this but – I missed her a bit. I heard that soft, accented voice in my dreams a couple times. When I saw her at the edge of the Hufflepuff table, alone, I felt this pain in my chest. <em>

_I even went to Professor Dumbledore to ask his professional opinion on this matter. He's an oddball for sure but I figured he'd have the perfect solution for my odd problem. I told him about my feelings and dreams after Transfiguration class today. When I finished he looked at me, his eyes shinning behind those moon shaped glasses, and laughed. "Alas, my poor student," He said. "You have been caught by the same mystery that has confounded wizards and witches since the dawn of time." I desperately urged him to tell me what this mystery was. I wouldn't be Dermid Michael Scott if I let any mystery get the better of me! He laughed again. "You're in love." He said._

_He's a daft old man. What a loon. I mean she is attractive to be sure, but love? Love would imply that I enjoyed her company, that I cared about her feelings, that I could see myself marrying her and fathering her children._

_You know these purely hypothetical children would probably be well off. They'd have my brains and her beauty in the best case scenario. But I'm only considering this because as a scholar I'm supposed to consider all hypotheses. Clearly, that is the only reason._

_Love? That would be insane. She's interesting is all. Once she ceases to be interesting this madness of mine will fade and the two of us will part ways. Although I do hope she does not go back to the crowd she's left. She's better than that. And I say this as someone who merely does not like seeing potential like hers go to waste as it would among the zealot Pureblood Society. Not as a 'lover' like Dumbledore would claim._

_Love, how mental._

_-Dermid, December 21"_

* * *

><p>"<em>These are the words of Dermid Michael Scott, Age 15, Year 1950<em>

_I may have made a mistake._

_Today's my first day back from Break. I was at dinner when a portly girl walked up to me. Her name was Pomona Sprout and she's a year younger than me so I've never met her before in my life. She says she doesn't know me either but she knows that the 'one-eyed upperclassmen' only talked to me. I was annoyed since I figured that Aurelia had made a house elf of a fourth-year, like Augusta suggested. I asked Pomona where Aurelia was; I was going to yell at her for abusing her housemates. She told me that Aurelia was in the caretaker's closet, crying. _

_That bit of news floored me. Well, she had cried false tears when it came to Dippet but if she was putting on a show she would choose a more public place. Pomona also said that when she tried to console Aurelia, Aurelia told her it was nothing. Curiouser and curiouser. I had Pomona lead me to where Aurelia was. True to the fourth year's word, I heard soft sobs. I knocked and she told me she was fine. She had lost her good lying skills. I told her it was Dermid and that made her scream 'Go away!' so loudly that Pomona ran off. Of course, I started screaming at her from behind the door f_or scaring people_. The ghosts scattered, so did the portraits. I wasn't timing it but I say we argued for about twenty minutes. Finally, we both were breathlessly panting. Then she let me inside._

_She had her wand pointed at me as she held the door open but her face was wet and her hair matted. I called her a snake in the past but she looked more like a prey than predator at the moment. It hit me like a Bludger then, Aurelia was always like this: vulnerable, miserable. Her snob act was like her wand, a way to defend herself. _

_I stayed as still as possible and she dropped her wand slowly. She then slummed on the wall and started sobbing once more. I stayed silent; I didn't have any answer or explanation for once. I don't know how to deal with crying girls! I didn't sign up for this!_

_Still, she was shaking so much as she wailed so I figured she was cold. I took off my robe and tossed it to her. Aurelia hid her eyes in her arms and was crouched so she didn't see it. I tried telling her it was there, even pointing to it but she didn't move. Finally, I draped it over her myself. To put it on her shoulders I had to sit and scoot next to her. She leaned on me instantly and it took most of my willpower not to skip three paces away. My own cheeks felt hot – but that has to be because she was so close and her body heat was coming towards me. Yes, that must've been it. _

_Anyways, we weren't speaking and she was so warm. Before I knew I woke up and the robe was draped over both of us. Aurelia was awake, I couldn't see her in the dark but I knew she was awake. She told me her pet died and at first I felt cheated. So much theatrics over a dead pet? Then she told me it was her grandfather who had killed it the day after she rejected a 'Nice Pureblood boy' twice her age that had come to 'court' her. It was a good thing I skipped out on the dinner because my stomach had lurched. Aurelia told me she had to run into the closet, she had started crying at home but her mother had caught her and handed her over to her grandfather – she was too loud. Mr. Enzo hexed her into silence afterwards and she lit her wand so I could see the scars on her thigh. She got to school before her forced-back tears spilt over. She didn't even know she was crying till Pomona told her. Then she ran here…and here we are._

_-Dermid, January 8"_


	27. Past Blood - Morfin Gaunt

_Past Blood - Morfin Gaunt_

The young man was pale, almost to a ghostly extent, but it made his blue eyes more luminous. His black, and his night colored robe, had even richer darkness to it as he strolled behind a woman. "How much longer?" His voice was even, but too much so. It was a voice used when you were trying to cool your temper and mask it at the same time. Eva knew since her Uncle used it often enough.

"I'm sure it's around here somewhere," spoke the woman. Her smirk spoke too, it said she was enjoying her saunter around the parlor. She swayed in her gray dress that hugged her slender frame. Her tawny hair bounced out of the bun until it came undone. "If I knew he had a nephew I wouldn't have accepted his generosity when I did." Her words were laced with amusement. Eva was sure the woman would have taken whatever she did from the boy even sooner if she had known.

There was a hitch of breath next to Eva. She turned to the young girl, no older than eleven. Her eye, the one that her hair didn't veil, was wide. Her mouth hung open and she started to gasp but when the teen boy shot his eyes, no long just blue but piercing and icy, towards the two of them the girl held the air in her throat.

"You picked a pretty terrible hiding spot Grandmum," Eva turned from Aurelia and back to the woman and the boy.

"What were you to him, again?" The boy turned back to the woman and frowned, realizing how crass he sounded. Then his words turned honey-sweet: "I didn't get a chance to know him well. Were you his wife?"

The woman laughed. "You must not know him well! Like Morfin Gaunt would ever have a wife, or at least a willing wife."

"Gaunt." Eva murmured. "Harry told me that name. That's one of You-Know-Who's relatives." She looked at the boy, but not in those frozen eyes again. She looked down as fear made her bone shiver. "So he, he must be, he's –"

"What did you say your name was?"

"Tom Riddle, please call me Tom."

Eva shivered again, in tandem with her preteen grandmother. At this point, Aurelia couldn't have known who he was and who he would become. Though they say that children often can sense true natures, perhaps Kid Aurelia just had a feeling that this young man would mean no good.

"Tom, Tommy…" The woman tasted his name. "I don't like it, far too plain for any decent wizard."

"Incomparable to one like yours, Clarissa." Riddle said with a full, white grin. Eva felt her heart skip and her stomach groan. A charming and handsome You-Know-Who literally unsettled her body. No wonder first-year Ginny fell so hard.

"You're such a sweet little dear…" Clarissa sat on the dresser, folded her legs, and held out her hand. Riddle stared for a moment, as if he were confronted by one of Luna Lovegood's creatures, but then smiled again and kissed it. She laughed "…and too compliant to a madwoman's whims."

"The ring is too important." He answered, dropping her hand quickly like it was covered in worms. "Besides, you're blood is old. I can respect your line."

"Really?" Clarissa sing-sang. "Are you Pure-Blood yourself?" Anger flashed over his face and Clarissa grinned wider. "Of course, you must be," She said. The anger vanished. "You also come from and old line. You ought to want to protect that blood of yours."

"And I assume you must want to protect yours." Riddle said. "I suppose you wish for an alliance."

"Let's use the age-old euphemism, a marriage." That made Riddle blink before shock painted him. "This family has a daughter and she will be marriageable soon enough. When that time comes you can get your ring so long as it placed on her finger."

"Oh no…" Eva breathed and glanced at her grandmother who had slid down the wall of the cabinet. Aurelia's eye started leaking. She muffled her heaving breaths with her hands over mouth.

"…I have reservations." Riddle spoke. "Surely your daughter must also –"

"My daughter knows her role, to make up for her existence." Clarissa spoke easily. Aurelia choked on her sob. "To enliven mine and all of the Enzos."

"I believe that there's no need –"

"I thought the ring was too important." Clarissa spat. "I was given that ring! I want it! You will take it with one of our girls or you will take nothing!"

He snarled, his charming facade was gone and Eva could hardly believe she ever thought he was handsome. "You will regret this, you and all of the Enzos!"

He waved his wand and Clarissa started to float. Servant wizards poured in, surrounding him. He cursed, and said a curse that slashed the ring of guards. Then he Apprated while everyone was still catching their breaths.

Aurelia ungagged her mouth so she could cry out loud. The cries echoed and echoed even as the scene faded into white.

* * *

><p>Blotches of color returned in a second, and finally the cries faded but Aurelia's voice returned.<p>

"I don't even know if she was serious or not, marrying me off I mean." A sixth year Aurelia spoke. She laid back on her bed and teenage Dermid scooted in with her. Eva could hardly believe he would let her touch him after the first memory, much less snake her arms around him. "She was probably just trying to piss him off. That's what she always does; people exist to 'enliven' her and who cares if they have actual feelings."

"So, you're not betrothed." He sighed and relief brushed over him. His back un-stiffened against her chest and he stopped fidgeting with his socked feet.

"As far as I know I'm not. Maybe I am," with one phrase the rigidness came back. "Maybe I just don't know."

"What ever happened to that ring?" Dermid asked. Aurelia nodded to her bottom left drawer. "It's here? You've had it all this time?"

"She said to keep it. She said Morfin Gaunt's ring would be useful one day to fight my 'husband'." Aurelia blanched. "I don't know why. It seems like a dinky trinket to me. The gemstone's not a diamond either, it's a weird shape."

"Really?" Dermid hopped away from her grasp and Aurelia clawed at the air that he left. He opened her drawer and started tossing her stuff. "Where, where…"

"Hey!" She sat up and pouted.

"Where, oh, where…"

"You dolt! Quit touching my stuff!" He didn't seem to be listening, and when she saw her second lacy bra go flying she rolled her eye before saying: "It's in my sock, the long and striped pair."

He pulled apart the socks with much more glee than he had for the undergarments. He uncoiled them and a ring fell out. It was the ring Eva saw around her older grandmother's neck during Winter Break. "Wicked, this could be a clue!"

"Clue?" Aurelia tilted her head. "A clue for what?"

"Your mystery! The riddle of you!" Dermid's eyes were shinning pennies and dinner-plate sized. Aurelia blushed. "If you can figure out what this means then you can figure out what your mother wants."

"Like I said, she wants to screw with people."

"That's the surface, the easy answer. You're a badger so you have to dig in and see what's below!"

"I thought I was a snake."

"Nope, badger now." He smiled and Aurelia turned even redder. "Besides, do you know what it means if you can find out why she's so interested? It means you understand, that means you can choose your next move based on what you know now. It means you'll have control."

"Control?" Aurelia rasped.

Eva didn't blame her for uttering the word as though it were sacred. In one semester it felt like Eva had lost any semblance of control till she joined the DA. Even then, she had no control to not volunteer for potions or stop people from distrusting her and Blaise. Though from what she's seen of her grandmother, Aurelia had no control over anything in the Enzo household. She didn't even have enough to save her best friend.

Aurelia nodded. "Tell me how to get this."

Dermid smirked at her. "Are you sure now, solving this mystery could take years and a lot of hard work."

"Aren't I a badger, bring it on."

Dermid laughed. Aurelia laughed too. Eva didn't but she smiled at the two of them, enjoying that this memory ended with laughter instead of cries.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Don't worry, I know things seem confusing now but I will explain this whole ring mystery soon. For one thing, it's not a Horcrux anymore. It's got a different role in my story.


	28. Past Blood - Nat Cole

_Past Blood - Nat Cole_

"_We poured over books after that day, mostly books on magic jewelry. I've heard of the lost diadem but trinkets have never interested me before. I started thinking that the Gaunt ring was related to that, like a matched set. No such luck; no one seemed to know anything about a ring of Ravenclaw or any Founder. _

_I was surprised, pleasantly so, about how fully Aurelia threw herself into our research. She didn't complain about long hours sitting or finding empty leads. The only time she did rail was when I suggested she speak to her mother. Ugh. Never again._

_She invited Pomona to join us, without specifying why were were snooping, one day. I was floored by how much Aurelia smiled at and coddled the wannabe Herbologist. For someone with such a rotten mother, compassion comes easy to her once that shell of prickishness is cracked. Maybe her love for her lost pet is latching on to new targets. Sad, but perhaps that snake's death broke her heart to let it grow._

_And grown it has. I've even heard her hum tunes as we've studied together. Recently, it has become out and out singing. Soft, somber tunes so lovely that even the librarian won't turn us out. She really does love music!_

_As we walked back to our Common Rooms today, she grabbed my hand. I didn't want her to, honest, but you know how argumentative she is. I had no choice but to let her do it. She was wearing a new perfume that day too – wet soil and violets. She had helped Pomona with her flowers earlier. It was nice so I, again, had no choice but move closer to her as we walked. I am a victim of circumstance! A victim!_

_Regardless, I asked her if she liked being with Pomona so much since before she wasn't too fond of her housemates. She said yes, and her smile lit up the dim halls. She said Pomona was everything she enjoyed about Hufflepuff. Then, she looked down before admitting that a House of fairness, tolerance, and justice was something she admired as a child. _

'_There was no fairness, no tolerance, and no justice in my home. It got bad enough that I forgot why I wanted to be in Hufflepuff in the first place. I thought those virtues were just dreams but I think,' Aurelia said with a sparkle in her eye. 'I think I can reach them from now on.'_

_She let go of my hand and skipped to her Common Room. I rubbed my own palm, thinking about Aurelia. I thought observing her would make her simpler but I feel like she's more and more complex. Like a puzzle with exploding pieces._

_-Dermid, February 14"_

* * *

><p>"<em>I told her that we were taking today off. <em>_She groaned and murmured reasons why we couldn't afford a day off but the moment I found out it was her birthday I shut my books. I never shut my books unless I'm grabbing a different one. Someone slipped something into my Pumpkin Juice._

_Regardless, I dragged her from the library. I would have told Pomona not to wait up but she has stopped joining our research sessions lately. 'You two seem so close. I don't want to be a third wheel.' Pomona explained to me, giggling as she did. Anyways, I was desperately looking for a place to take her. Someplace special, someplace brilliant and amazing. I wanted it to be like nothing she'd see in the castle ever again. I was thinking all these things as I paced on the seventh floor but then I heard this creaking. Aurelia gasped as she heard it and I whirled to where she pointed. There was a door. _

_We opened it slowly and I saw a smooth, wooden floor. A chandelier made the lights like stars glow around the room. In the center was a phonograph. I held my wand out and tapped it. She did the same. It didn't try to eat us, which was all well and good, but the record started playing. "Paper Moon" by Nat King Cole. Aurelia blinked, as if she'd never heard it before… which makes sense. Like a bunch of Purebloods would let their daughter listen to a Muggle performer. Blood can't buy good taste, I suppose._

_I jumped up and down, and she looked at me like I was a lunatic. She didn't understand that I had found it! I had found the Come-And-Go Room! I was so ecstatic that I grabbed her hands and started dancing to the music. She didn't fight…in fact she moved in step. She didn't crush my toes like before, talk about progress._

_We had spun ourselves dizzy till the record stopped. We were on the floor, out of breath, and laughing. _

_I was exhausted but I felt like I wouldn't mind spinning and singing with her again, forever. It was perfectly illogical but I felt it; I understood it._

_My laughing stopped abruptly. She, still snickering, asked what was wrong._

_I didn't answer. I just stood up. She, with more urgency, asked me what was wrong._

_I couldn't answer. I just stomped out of the room. She called out but once my breath steadied I ran. I ran all the way to the Ravenclaw Tower from the discovery I had wanted to find for ages. _

_It was all because of another more dangerous discovery: I loved Aurelia Enzo. I loved the girl with a viper's nest for a family. I loved a pariah who most of my friends still despised. I loved the girl who had layer after layer to her and who wouldn't untangle herself to me even if I spent the rest of my life next to her. _

_I was scared that that didn't scare me._

_-Dermid, March 23"_

* * *

><p>"<em>She found me after Care of Magical Creatures class. <em>

_She hadn't spoken about the night that I abandoned her in the Come-And-Go room but her stare said enough for her. It said that she was hurt, that she was close to closing up her heart again since the hurt was that bad. Her voice was quiet in that too even tone that hid every feeling between frustration and sadness and rage. The only thing she actually said to me was that she knew what her ring did._

_It was a clever move on her part. I still loved mysteries after all so even if I hated her I would still draw near if she interested me. Aurelia walked into the Forbidden Forest, clearly forgetting the whole 'forbidden' part. She didn't have to beckon me, I trailed her steps. Bitterly, I thought Augusta was right and I was like a House Elf to her now. How could I fall so low for the sake of so-called love?_

_She didn't look at me but she began to explain. She had just reheard a fairytale from her youth, a kindly housekeeper told the story to her. It detailed the three artifacts that conquered death: the wand, the cloak, and the stone. The stone could bring back the dead, if only half way to life. _

_Before I would have said, 'a fairytale, really? That's the infallible source of this venture?' Two things stopped me. One, I had no right to critique her after that night in March. Two, I had no right to pretend I was merely a creature of logic. Logical beings don't let love contort them as much as I have let it. I simply nodded, not that she saw it, and continued to be her shadow. She stopped suddenly and I brushed up against her by accident. She glared but said nothing as I hopped paced away. She then spoke to the stone. She asked for Morfin Gaunt._

_Fog picked up. It swirled around her and I almost yanked her away but it moved past her. Then it became solid, a man. The smile he gave Aurelia made my stomach dip in fear. But also, heat burned in me. His leer made me want to run a sword through him. _

_I didn't understand most of what he said. But his wistful, "Clarissa," stood out perfectly._

_-Dermid, March 30"_


	29. Past Blood - Clarissa Enzo

_Past Blood: Clarissa Enzo_

"Clarissa," the ghost of Morfin Gaunt breathed.

Eva neared her grandmother. She tried to grip Aurelia's wrist, to tug at it and pull Aurelia away, but her fingers went through the young Italian.

The ghost's smile revealed rotten gums and missing teeth. One of his eyes locked on Aurelia. He reached out to her but his own fingers slid through her sun-tanned skin like Eva's. However, Aurelia shivered went he tried to touch her.

"You're wrong," Aurelia finally said. "I'm not my mother." She scanned him from his dirt-colored hair to his dirt-covered shoes. "Those robes, they look like Azkaban prison robes."

Morfin laughed, it looked like he gagged on the air in his lungs as he did. He then swiveled his good eye and held up his arms, as if he had just noticed his wardrobe too.

Eva remember the picture of Harleen in the Daily Prophet, she wore the same too-thin robe with a number branded over the right breast. "Grandmum, what are you doing?" She whispered desperately, albeit uselessly. "This guy could be dangerous! Grandpa, do –"

She saw her young grandfather turn nearly as pale as the ghost of Morfin. He ran his head through those short black locks of his. His lips quivered, mouthing words.

"Oh, who is he? A lover? A new lover?" Morfin spoke in Parseltongue before he switched his stare to Dermid. Dermid became perfectly straight. He scowled at the ghost but Eva could hear chattering teeth behind those sealed lips. "A Muggle?" Morfin's grin turned wolfish, hungry. His own palms brushed his right side. "What could I do with a muggle, I haven't played with one in so long…"

"If you want your wand then you're out of luck, Baboo. They would have taken it when you went to prison." Aurelia spat. For all she spoke, she moved in front of Dermid and blocked Morfin's view.

"A-Aurelia?" Dermid sputtered. "What are you telling him? What language is that?"

"He doesn't know." Morfin sing-sang, still in Parseltongue. Eva rubbed her ears to erase that sour sound. "Poor little Muggle doesn't speak snakey. But you do, Clarissa, when did you learn?"

"I'm not –"

"Aurelia!"

"Dermid, shush!" Aurelia spoke English. She turned to him. "You want to know so much? You want to solve this stupid mystery and get on with your life without me? Fine! He's speaking Parseltongue!" Dermid took a step away from Aurelia. "That's right! He and I, we're Parselmouths! So why don't you leave us Dark Wizards be?!" Her voice cracked at the last few words. In her dark brown eyes water built. "Go on! Go!"

Dermid sucked in a breath. He began to walk forward, outside of the forest. "Grandpa," Eva said as he passed her. "Don't, she didn't mean it."

Dermid slowed as he reached Aurelia, looked at her face, and then trekked onward.

Aurelia held her head down as Morfin's laughs echoed in the empty Forest.

"Clarissa you're still so cruel." He said between laughs. "You still toss us away."

"Us?" Eva and Aurelia spoke at the same time. Aurelia's eye streamed tears but her eyes borrowed holes through the ghost.

"You gave this to my mother, to Clarissa, as a gift or…" Aurelia grit her teeth, seemingly afraid to let the other words out. "…as payment?"

"You looked good with it on," Morfin moved towards her again, but this time he merely traced Aurelia's cheek. "I remember, the Dementors didn't suck it out of me. They tried, they tried, they tried – but I remember. I remember you." His nails, long and jagged, would have punctured her flesh if he were corporeal.

"So you and her," Aurelia's cheeks bloomed pink, then her whole face resembled a ripe pear.

"You remember too, don't you?" Morfin attempted to pull her close, he clawed her shoulders. "You skin is still so smooth," He licked his lips. "If only I could peal it off you like your clothes."

"Oh no," Aurelia muttered. She shook her head and curtained her good eye with her hair. "No, no, no. My birth father can't be someone this disgusting!"

"Birth father?" Eva gasped. She stared at the man and then her grandmother. They shared hardly anything, not skin tone, not face shape, not eye color.

"My eye." Aurelia felt up her the patch on her face. "I've seen my baby pictures, I was crossed eyed." She snorted without mirth. "So Mister Enzo's took it, not just to test my blood, but to remove anything that reminded him of the cad who knocked up his whore of a daughter." Aurelia gave out more hoarse, miserable laughs. "I can't believe it, she tried to marry me off to my own cousin just for her own sick amusement! You two deserve each other! "

"Not just that," Eva murmured, her voice almost drowned by her pounding heart. "If Morfin is Tom Riddle's Uncle then you are Voldemort's cousin." Her breaths came quicker, shallower. She had to speak between breaths. "You're an Heir of Slytherin, so's Uncle Manny…and me."

Eva cradled her head. She remember Ernie's words: "_Parselmouth is the mark of a Dark Wizard_." She remembered the panic of Second Year when Justin hollered at Harry for simply talking down a snake. She had clung to the idea that it was just a coincidence, as her grandmother, and her uncle, and even her mother told her. Her grandmother, maybe her uncle too, had lied to her for so many years…

"Clarissa," Morfin called again, making Eva snap her head up. Aurelia's laughs had dissolved into hiccupped weeping. "Rissy, I'll nail you to the door if you don't quiet down. Quiet down Rissy," he reached for his non-existent wand again. "Quiet, quiet." He hissed his words and his mouth twisted into a snarl. Eva could have shivered but her own shock and dread washed away the brief wave for fear she felt. Besides she knew her grandmother would be safe, Morfin wouldn't hurt his – Eva nearly blanched at the thought – "lover" would he?

"Shut it!" Dermid cried. This time Aurelia snapped up her own head. Her dark eyes rose just in time to see Dermid raise his wand and point at the ghost. "Don't touch her!"

"Not a Muggle," Morfin grumbled. "I wanted to get him, him and the rest of Tom Riddle's ilk."

"Tom Riddle, I recognized that." Dermid whipped his head to Aurelia while his wand was still pointed to Morfin. "I don't know the rest though. Ask him what he knows about that Riddle bloke, and the ring please."

Aurelia didn't speak at first, despite the Ravenclaw's request. When she did she muttered: "Why? Why did you come back?" Her eye narrowed in the next second. "To solve the mystery I'm sure." She grumbled.

Dermid gestured at her. "Just ask him already."

Aurelia hunched her shoulders but turned back to her birth father. "This ring, why did you give it to Clarissa?"

"Pretty little trinket," He slurred in response. "You're the only one who hurts me, Clarissa. You're the only one."

"What?" Aurelia blinked. "I thought you were lovers, why would you want her to hurt you?"

"Little Hangleton, where we first met." Morfin was fading, both in voice and in body. "Visit me again, Clarissa."

The image of Morfin Gaunt faded. The Forbidden Forest muted itself and left thick silent between Aurelia and Dermid.

Eva, on the other hand, collapsed to her knees. The new knowledge swirled in her mind and dizzied her. "How am I going to tell everyone, anyone?" She turned to Aurelia and, for the first time she could remember, glared at her grandmother. "I wish you never told me."

"Are you going to tell anyone?" Aurelia spat out at Dermid. "You must want to, everyone will be dazzled by your investigative work."

"Aurelia…" He moved closer to her. Aurelia held up her wand.

"You were right all along, I am a snake. Worse than that, I'm Dark Wizard just like my crook of a father probably was." She blubbered out her words.

"Aurelia, I'm sorry." Dermid said. He walked faster. Aurelia held up her wand but it was shaking in her grip. "Aurelia, I'm not afraid of you."

"Why not?" She screeched. "My bloodline is filled with liars and monsters and most likely inbreeding. I'm disgusting!"

Dermid gently pushed down her brandished wand, Aurelia gave him no resistance. She also didn't resist when he embraced her.

"I'm an idiot." Dermid said. "And I'm in love with you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I'll be honest, this chapter has scared me the most. Part of the reason I write fanfiction is to test seemingly bad premises. If you look at my other fic, _Tangled in Fate,_ you'll see it was inspired by "Can a HP/Anime crossover turn out good?" since I was tired of reading fics where the written was horrible. (No offense to anyone here who has one of those, I've just notice most don't end up/are badly written/have too many Sues and Stus.) Here I was trying for "Can a Voldemort's relative fic be well written?" I hope you all think so, and that you'll continue to read and review.


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